New milestone for China: Probe snaps close-ups of asteroid Toutatis

nbc ^ | Alan Boyle

[BenLurkin]

China's official news agency is reporting that the country's Chang'e 2 deep-space probe made an amazing flyby of the asteroid Toutatis this week, snapping a series of pictures as it passed just 2 miles away. The achievement signals China's entry into yet another exclusive space club.

Only four of the world's space efforts have managed close encounters with asteroids: NASA (with NEAR Shoemaker and Dawn, for example), the European Space Agency (with Rosetta), Japan (with Hayabusa) — and now China with Toutatis

[BenLurkin]

Unfortunately the link does not show the photos. It show one"photo" reproduced7 times.

[newheart]

Looks a lot like that "missing" Idaho potato we hear about in the commercials.

[cripplecreek]

This is better

Huge Asteroid's Earth Flyby Caught on Video

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin and cripplecreek.

[martin_fierro]

[Cringing Negativism Network]

We need to be a tad concerned here.

Our own space program is shrinking, as is our own Defense budget. Due to dramatic defense and other expense cuts.

Why? Because China is taking all our manufacturing, and all our money.

Frankly China is proceeding to overtake us, right in front of our eyes.

And all we do is applaud.

[cripplecreek]

Its called ceding the high ground.

All the best losers do it.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin and cripplecreek.

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