What new space telescope is China expected to launch in 2026?

China is preparing to launch a powerful new observatory named Xuntian, also known as the Chinese Space Station Telescope (Deals) (CSST), in 2026. This ambitious project aims to significantly advance humanity's understanding of the cosmos. Xuntian translates to "surveying the heavens," a fitting name for a telescope designed to conduct extensive sky surveys.

The Xuntian telescope is equipped with a two-meter primary mirror, comparable in size to the Hubble Space Telescope's, but it boasts a significantly larger field of view—estimated to be 300 to 350 times wider than Hubble's. This expansive view will allow Xuntian to image up to 40 percent of the sky with its 2.5-gigapixel camera, making it exceptionally efficient for wide-area observations. Its mission focuses on high-resolution, large-area multiband imaging and spectroscopy, exploring the universe from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths.

A key feature of the Xuntian telescope is its ability to co-orbit with China's Tiangong space station. While it will fly independently for most of its operational life, Xuntian is designed to periodically dock with the space station for maintenance, repairs, and potential upgrades. This innovative approach could extend its operational lifespan and ensure its long-term scientific competitiveness. Scientists anticipate Xuntian will contribute significantly to various astrophysical fields, including understanding cosmology, the formation and evolution of galaxies, and shedding light on the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.