Posted on 06/18/2012 5:23:53 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Chinese astronauts carried out a manned docking with an experimental spacemodule on Monday, the latest milestone in China's ambitious campaign to build a space station.
The Shenzhou 9 and its three-person crew, which includes China's first woman in space Liu Yang, linked with the Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) 1 module, with state television showing the pictures live.
Almost three hours later, the blue jumpsuit-wearing mission commander, Jing Haipeng, entered the module followed by colleague Liu Wang and Liu Yang, the first time China has been able to transfer astronauts between two orbiting craft.
Rendezvous and docking exercises between the two vessels are an important hurdle in China's efforts to acquire the technological and logistical skills to run a full space lab that can house astronauts for long periods.
During the 13-day mission, the astronauts will work and sleep aboard Tiangong 1, a trial module that includes an exercise bike and a video telephone booth, according to media.
The mission has been accompanied by a blaze of national pride and has been given blanket coverage by state media, down to discussion on how flying a space ship is a bit like driving a car and how the astronauts will be able to spice up their food with chilli sauce.
China is still far from catching up with the established space superpowers, the United States and Russia. The Tiangong 1 is a trial module, not the building block of a space station.
But the docking mission is the latest show of China's growing prowess in space and comes while budget restraints and shifting priorities have held back U.S. manned space launches.
This is China's fourth manned space mission since 2003 when astronaut Yang Liwei became the country's first person in orbit.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
In the meantime we hitch rides on 1970s-era Soviet trash cans.
Way to go, obozo (and your democrat friends).
Ping.
The space station reminds me of Salyut station.
The NASA budget for 2012 is greater than all the other space agencies budgets combined.
NASA = $17.7 Billion
ESA = $5.4 Billion
ROSCOSMOS = $3.8 Billion
CNES = $2.8 Billion
JAXA = $2.5 Billion
DLR = $2 Billion
ISRO = $1.3 Billion
CNSA = $1.3 Billion
ASI = $1 Billion
Yeah, but it's all pissed away on global warming junk science nonsense in support of big brother. They need to change their name GWBSA or something, and take "Space" out of it. From all recent indications, the new U.S. leader in space, to the extent that there is one, is the Air Force.
But what is America getting for it?
Nothing but kiss muslim ass "outreach".
A replacement vehicle should have been developed and built before the Space Shuttle was retired. And a lunar exploration/base program should be instituted as quickly as possible.
Wouldn’t it be ironic if that lost NASA tool bag suddenly appeared coming in on a collision course at 50,000 mph? I’d laugh... but I was never a fan of the chicoms.
Here is the full NASA budget.
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/659660main_NASA_FY13_Budget_Estimates-508-rev.pdf
Gemini 8 and Agena Target Vehicle, 1966
Cosmos 186 and 188, 1967
Apollo-Soyuz, 1975
Looks more like an on-suite toilet or closet.
Besides, this is a welcome to the late 60s or early 70s moment.
Big deal.
I do however think we’re royally screwed right now. If you would have told me our shuttle system would wither and die, and we still wouldn’t have replaced it with something/anything else before it was gone, I’d have said you were crazy.
It’s amazing how low we have sunk to.
Why bother faking it when you can just steal US technology and do the real thing?
Space boink question: What is the over/under on a possible Wang’n’Yang bang? Sorry.
ten bucks says they carry out another form of manned docking experiment while they are up there tooo...
Aren’t the Chinese vehicles all slightly modified Soyuz?
The Chinese spacecraft are based on those trash cans. In the meantime we have private corporations doing space flights that most nations have never done.
prove that it is all pissed away on the globull warming scam
considering that the Shenzhou is based on the 70’s trash can, and the US is in a 5yr downtime while a new spacecraft is built and commerical is coming what do you want
Bingo!
Obviously China is not so obsessed with the glorification of Islam as NASA had been forced to be.
Kinda makes a difference, don’t ya think?
I wonder how much of NASAs budget is now being dedicated to the advancement of the American and global Jihad in stead of the advancement of human civilization?
If NASA puts anything else up during this regime it will likely be an orbiting Mosque. If the current regime persists for another term we may have a Mosque on the moon.
Those Soviet “trash can” are actually far more economical and have far better safety records then the overrated “shuttle”. The Russians have successfully launched far more number of rockets in space then US.
NASA is just a useless government employment program. Other countries are doing a lot more with just shoe string budget.
No argument there. The Shuttle was a poorly designed, extremely expensive astronaut killer. Even though I will admit it had inspirational value, as did the "blank check" programs of the 1960's. The Russian rockets are cheap, but that doesn't stop Russia from charging us a fortune per astronaut.
I believe the Spacex system will be cheaper than the Russian rockets if all goes as planned.
Its supply an demand. How many space programs are out there that can ferry astronauts on a regular basis?
“Spacex system will be cheaper than the Russian rockets if all goes as planned.”
Highly doubt it will be cheaper.
It only gave India and China ample time to play catch up. Both India and China stayed out of the whole ISS nonsense and are aiming for REAL exploration of space starting with the Moon.
true!, the shuttle was going to be retired anyway, really was not needed anymore as the ISS was finished construction.
We need to stop ignoring China.
China is about to become a very big pest.
The sooner we wake up to that new fact, the quicker we can begin moving in response.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.