Scientists unveil deep space exploration roadmap around Space Day

As China celebrates its 11th Space Day on Friday, experts have unveiled an ambitious roadmap for the future of deep space exploration.

From hunting for water on the Moon to mining the secrets of the early solar system, the country is accelerating its steps toward the stars.

"The Moon, Mars, other planets, and interplanetary space contain abundant resources. [For example,] there is a lot of water ice on the Moon, and helium-3 is an important fuel for fusion. We will bring these scarce resources back to Earth -- a concept we call space-based manufacturing," said Hu Chaobin, party secretary of the Deep Space Exploration Lab.

Leading the charge in the immediate future is the Chang'e-7 mission. Scheduled for launch later this year, the probe has a clear and historic objective: the lunar south pole.

"The Chang'e-7 [lunar probe] will go to the lunar south pole to look for water. If it finds water, it will be the world's first," said Zhang Yuhua, a deep space exploration expert with the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology under China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

While the Moon remains a priority, China's planetary exploration is also advancing rapidly. The Tianwen-2 probe, launched in May 2025, is currently nearing its target, the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3.

"The Tianwen-2 probe was launched last May and it's been nearly a year now. Its in-orbit flight is all normal, and it is approaching the target asteroid. Scientists think asteroids or comets preserve material from the early formation of the solar system. If samples can be brought back from an asteroid, we might obtain material that is 4.6 billion years old. This is of particular significance for the research of space science," said Zhang He, another deep space exploration expert from the China Academy of Space Technology of CASC.

Looking further ahead to the 14th Five-Year Plan period and beyond, the agenda includes some of the most complex missions ever attempted by the nation.

According to current planning, China's Tianwen-3 probe is expected to launch around 2028 to retrieve Martian samples by 2031, while Tianwen-4 is slated for a launch around 2030 to explore the Jovian system.

"The Tianwen-3 and Tianwen-4 probes are also part of the national planned missions. Tianwen-3 will return to Mars and bring samples back to the Earth, while Tianwen-4 will go farther to explore Jupiter. In the future we will plan a second phase of planetary exploration projects, including missions to the solar system's boundary. There will be many tasks worth looking forward to in the future," said Sun Zezhou, a deep space expert at the China Academy of Space Technology, CASC.

As China pushes the boundaries of technology, the focus remains on expanding human knowledge and capability. As experts noted, future missions will also look toward the boundaries of the solar system, promising a decade filled with discovery.

Scientists unveil deep space exploration roadmap around Space Day

Japan's move to lift its ban on lethal arms exports risks plunging Asia into a "security dilemma" in balancing self-defense with maintaining regional stability, said an expert in Japanese foreign policy and Sino-Japanese relations.

The Japanese government on Tuesday officially revised the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" and their implementation guidelines to allow overseas sales of weapons, including those with lethal capabilities.

Assistant professor Oh Seung-hee at Republic of Korea's Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security said that increasing a nation's capacity for defense is not unique to Japan but ending the ban on the export of lethal weapons may trigger an arms race in the region.

"While these efforts should ideally serve as a deterrent to prevent conflict, they are instead manifesting as an arms race. I am concerned that we are falling into a 'security dilemma' where intensified competition actually worsens the security environment," said Oh.

"Recently, the defense industry has become a vital sector for both economic growth and military strength. We have entered a new era of warfare where advanced AI and drones merge with military power - a trend that has accelerated since the Russia-Ukraine war. Consequently, developing and exporting new weaponry has become crucial. Japan's move reflects an effort to participate actively in defense exports. Since the defense industry is also a major focus for South Korea, competition and the overall importance of the export market will only continue to intensify," she said.

Highlighting the importance of enhancing defense while sustaining peace in the new era, Oh called for constant communication among ROK, Japan and China, which she believes is necessary to ensure red lines are not crossed.

"In this new era of conflict, every nation must weigh how to strengthen defense while maintaining peace. We must discuss how to ensure that individual national actions do not threaten neighbors. Rather than acting alone, countries must meet to discuss regional stability and ensure 'red lines' are not crossed. Beyond ROK-U.S.-Japan cooperation, we need continuous ROK-China-Japan dialogue. Managing these boundaries through constant communication is essential to ensure self-defense doesn't compromise regional peace," Oh said.

Expert warns of 'security dilemma' as Japan scraps ban on lethal arms exports