Posted on 11/02/2011 7:17:19 PM PDT by QuickSandWillow
China has joined two space vehicles together in orbit for the first time.
The unmanned Shenzhou 8 craft, launched earlier this week, made contact with the Tiangong-1 space lab at 1729 GMT. The union occurred over China itself.
Being able to dock two space vehicles together is a necessary capability for China if it wants to start building a space station towards the decade's end.
Although no astronauts were in the Shenzhou craft this time, future missions will carry people.
Tuesday's procedure (Beijing time 0029, Thursday) took place at an altitude of about 340km. It was automated but overseen on the ground at the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Centre.
The vehicles used radar and optical sensors to compute their proximity to each other and guide their final approach and contact. A video feed from orbit showed the final moments of the vehicles coming together.
Shenzhou 8 was the active craft in the docking. It fired its thrusters to push its front end towards the docking port of Tiangong-1. Once the vehicles' docking rings had made a good capture, 12 hooks were deployed to fix the craft in place. Protruding pins made electrical connections.
From first contact to confirmation of a seal took about 10 minutes.
Shenzhou 8 and Tiangong-1 will spend two weeks circling the globe together before Shenzhou 8 heads back to Earth
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
I can see this bunch with space based weapons
Gemini X redux. They are catching up.
Move on, move on, nothing to see here!
Fifty-five years of blood, toil, sweat, money, and lives and Obama ended our space program because it “wasn’t diverse enough.” The Chinese have set a goal of beginning a Moon base in 2026.
Robert Heinlein must have known this because so many of the place names in the “Moon is a Harsh Mistress” were Chinese.
They mean none... that we know of--
They must have been given all this technology in exchange for democrat fund donations.
That's just like the coach taking the first place trophy away from the winning team and giving it to a less capable team.
'Course, Clinton giving them MIRV technology among other things was more than a slap in the face for us, as well.
I just can't think of these people as selfish, or stupid or political.
I see them as systematically destroying one of God's greatest gifts to mankind.
Paid for by Walmart.
Wake up people. Tariffs.
And a whole lot more. We best stop sleepwalking into catastrophe.
fake
They are only about 40 years behind the real space pioneers.
“Fifty-five years of blood, toil, sweat, money, and lives and Obama ended our space program because it wasnt diverse enough. The Chinese have set a goal of beginning a Moon base in 2026.”
It must be inspirational to live in a country that can do Great Things. I remember what it was like, vaguely.
You’re in denial.
Big.
China is about to pass us.
Yes I remember when everything in every store was not stamped “Made in China”.
The two are related.
Wake up America. Bring back American jobs.
Robert Heinlein must have known this because so many of the place names in the Moon is a Harsh Mistress were Chinese.
Two of my friends kept after me til I finally read that book within the last year. Very interesting. You’re right about the Chinese names of cities on the moon (in the book)... Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible had Clinton and his pals not traded our missile/rocket secrets to China in exchange for campaign cash for his reelection back in the mid-90’s. They should name their first moon base after him — something like “Slick Willie One.” No, “Bubba 1.” :-D
Clinton was a long time ago.
We have not stopped giving China everything, since.
Not even for one day. We are handing the future of the world, to China.
Because we are brainwashed by the LIE of “free trade”.
Communist China is not our friend.
From what I’ve read, China has simply purchased plans and equipment from Russia, improved and modified here and there, and whoop, there you are. Yes, they are in space...but, not having developed it in house, they aren’t “there” yet.
As far as passing us...it’ll be awhile before they are at where we are today. When they hit where we are now, we’ll be farther along...unless we further cripple NASA.
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