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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: 5, Informative) by requerdanos on Monday April 24 2017, @01:30AM (1 child)
China's First Cargo Spacecraft Docks With the Tiangong 2 Space Station; US Govt Rejoice (NOT)
Well, The US Govt should rejoice if anyone can ferry their staff to the space station. It's not like they have any vehicles that can do it.
As a patriotic American, I was taught in school that the US was the leading space power in the universe, etc.
Then later I learned...
First Satellite... USSR
First Man/Woman/Dog in space/orbit... USSR
First Space Everything Until Manned Moonshot... USSR
And, as mentioned further up in the discussion, the Russians, unlike the USians, can ferry humans back and forth from space-locations.
Glad the Chinese are joining that select club. Thanks guys! 谢谢!
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 24 2017, @12:30PM
As a patriotic American,
As a patriotic American, you fell for this like all patriotic Americans.
They lied. Church lied too. If you look carefully, you can see objects "beyond" the horizon.
The surface of the Earth has no measurable curvature. It's a lie, all of it.