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China Completes First Space Docking Test

Posted by samzenpus on from the you-got-craft-in-my-lab dept.

MrSeb writes "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 end of the decade."

2 of 106 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Fast track into space by 0123456 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    China's certainly moving at a brisk pace.

    NASA:

    First manned flight: 1962
    First orbital rendevouz: 1965
    First orbital docking: 1966

    China:

    First manned flight: 2003
    First orbital docking: 2011

    I'd say more 'glacial' than 'brisk'

  2. Congrats! by T-Mckenney · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Instead of playing who has the bigger cock here (I'm looking at you America, Russia, ESA). Lets congratulate another country making its way into space, opening the way for human expansion to the cosmos. We need to get over this "my country has a bigger cock than yours" or "the USA is doomed because China is now in space" and start concentrating on collaboration as a species. Congrats, China! Welcome to the club. -T