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from the in-space-nobody-hears-your-tantrum?? dept.
The Guardian reports on the Tianzhou-1's, China's first automated cargo spacecraft, first mission to the station:
China's first cargo spacecraft docked successfully with the Tiangong-2 space lab on Saturday, the official Xinhua news agency reported, marking a major step towards Beijing's goal of establishing a permanently manned space station by 2022. ...
The Tianzhou-1 cargo resupply spacecraft made the automated docking process with the orbiting space lab after it had taken off on Thursday evening from the Wenchang satellite launch centre in the southern island province of Hainan....
The cargo spacecraft mission provides an "important technological basis" to build a Chinese space station, state media have said. It can reportedly carry six tonnes of goods, two tonnes of fuel and can fly unmanned for three months.
Seems like Cold War era again:
President Xi Jinping has prioritised advancing China's space programme to strengthen national security.,,,
The US Defense Department has highlighted China's increasing space capabilities, saying it was pursuing activities aimed at preventing other nations from using space-based assets in a crisis.
China insists it has only peaceful ambitions in space, but has tested anti-satellite missiles.
2007 - Chinese anti-satellite missile test
1985 - American anti-satellite missile test
Chinese exclusion policy of NASA
Related: China Launched its Second "Heavenly Palace" Thursday Morning [Updated]
China's Shenzhou 11 Docks at Tiangong 2 Space Station
Space Race 2.0: China May Already be Testing an EmDrive in Orbit
(Score: 4, Interesting) by isostatic on Sunday April 23 2017, @06:49PM (5 children)
Here's a list of countries that can put a man in space:
Russia
China
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 23 2017, @07:00PM (2 children)
Hey, that's the same as my list of countries I never want to visit!
(Score: 3, Touché) by Gaaark on Sunday April 23 2017, @07:28PM (1 child)
Add the U.S. to that list, and you've got mine! :)
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 23 2017, @08:17PM
Add the U.S. to that list, and you've got mine! :)
The US is on my list, along with North Korea, and that is pretty much it actually. The others would be nice to visit based on meeting safety and other requirements, but those two are on my "do not visit list". I would love to visit Russia and China, but I don't know the languages, so can't really do a proper tour. Imagine a road trip through Russia though, it would be a once in a lifetime experience, just due to the size alone, let alone everything else! Then you could drop into China as well, and make your way to India too. Mental!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 24 2017, @03:40AM
You've confused "can" with "allow." The US has amazingly stringent regulations for man-rated rockets. SpaceX could likely put a man in orbit with what they have now, but they are not permitted to do so because they have not competed certification for man-rating. This is not a weakness but a feature. The Indians also likely could field a viable human launch if they wanted, but they, like the Americans, perfer to tread a cautious path.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 24 2017, @12:23PM
Here is the updated version:
No country can "put a man in space"
You have been lied to about space. Don't be the last to know.