China Technology Surges Forward with Spectacular First Docking in Space

[bananas]

Source: Universe Today

China’s technological capabilities took a major surge forward with the successful docking in space today for the first time ever of two Chinese built and launched spaceships orbiting some 343 kilometers in the heavens above at 1:37 a.m. Beijing time Nov. 3(1:37 p.m. EDT, Nov. 2). China’s goal is to build a fully operation space station in earth orbit by 2020 – about the time when the ISS may be retired.

Today’s space spectacular joining together the Shenzhou-8 unmanned spacecraft and the Tiangong-1 prototype space station was an historic feat for China, which now becomes only the 3rd country to accomplish a rendezvous and docking of spacecraft in Earth orbit.

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The landmark rendezvous and docking was carried live by state run CCTV for all the world to watch. The impressive 2 hour long TV broadcast showed simultaneous and breathtaking camera videos from both the unpiloted Shenzhou-8 capsule and the Tiangiong-1 space station module as they viewed one another in the cameras field of view and slowly approached together with the lovely Earth as a backdrop.

<snip>

China plans two crewed flights to Tiangong-1 starting in 2012. The multi-person crews aboard Shenzhou 9 & Shenzhou 10 are almost certain to include China’s first female astronaut. The astronauts would float into Tiangong 1 from their Shenzhou capsules and remain on board for a few days or weeks. They will check out the spacecraft systems and conduct medical, space science and technology tests and experiments.

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Read more: http://www.universetoday.com/90579/china-technology-surges-forward-with-spectacular-first-docking-in-space/

[Lint Head]

1. Don't tell Herman Cain.

[Ikonoklast]

2. We did that 50 years ago.

And manned space stations are a waste of time and resources.

[Sabriel]

3. Sigh. We used to do things like that

Until we started pouring cash into a hole in the desert.

We also had K-16 schools and social programs that had adequate funding.

[htuttle]

4. !

http://www.theonion.com/video/in-the-know-should-the-government-stop-dumping-mon,14289/

[Sabriel]

6. Hah! The National Money Hole

Thanks. I missed that one.

[Poll_Blind]

5. Bah! Why aim for the stars when you can aim at your fellow man?nt

PB

[No Elephants]

13. Subtle one! (Respect.)

[Rageneau]

11. That was before Rush and Reagan.

[DavidDvorkin]

7. I wonder if they're using the standard system that the US and Soviet Union agreed to

long ago for compatibility.

[sgsmith]

9. Yup

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgynous_Peripheral_Attach_System

[DavidDvorkin]

10. Good

Not that there will soon be the number of manned vehicles in orbit from different countries that the US and USSR assumed, but at least this way there can be joint missions and other countries' ships docking at the Chinese station, or Chinese ships at the ISS.

[lovuian]

8. Republican cut backs and Austere measures

means stagnation and watching the Chinese walk on the moon

[plumbob]

12. By abandoning space, this country has killed its future in technology

and innovation.

Observe the new power in the world.

Not that being #1 did anything for us other than kill millions, starve millions more, and make a few obscenely wealthy.

[No Elephants]

14. At least they're putting some of the interest we're paying them to mildly interesting use.

[pampango]

15. Like Japan which produced "cheap junk" in the 1950's and 60's than moved to high tech

stuff as its economy developed.