China Targets 2022 For Space Station Completion

Taco Cowboy writes: According to Reuters, China is aiming for 2022 to get its first space station operational. "China's leaders have set a priority on advancing its space program, with President Xi Jinping calling for the country to establish itself as a space power." After Chinese astronauts docked with the country's experimental space lab last year, they're planning the launch of another laboratory in 2016. Launch and construction of the new space station's core is planned for 2018, and their goal is to complete it by 2022. China insists that its space program is for peaceful purposes.

Comments

Been there, done that.

[MachineShedFred]

Why can't they just participate in the International space station, again?

Re:Been there, done that.

[i kan reed]

I was going to say they already do, but I didn't spot any Chinese flags on this page.

I don't know.

Re:Been there, done that.

[TitusC3v5]

They've tried, repeatedly, only to be blocked by US objections each time.

Their own station would probably be more worthwhile anyway - I can't name a single major achievement the ISS had made in the past decade.

Re:Been there, done that.

[bobbied]

Well... It's stayed up there ya know... That's an achievement..

Maybe you mean "Advancement"?

Re:Been there, done that.

[Anonymous Coward]

Interestingly, despite the US blocking international cooperation on the International Space Station, China is welcoming International involvement on the Chinese Space Station.

• China's space station to open for foreign peers
• China's space station to welcome international scientists

Reminds me of baseball's World Cup. And 1984 (ie doublepeak)

Re:Been there, done that.

[strong_epoxy]

Technically, it's the Russian space station. They're the only folks that can get there.

Re:Been there, done that.

[ColdWetDog]

They were purposely not invited. Then they were sort of not invited (Read the TFA, it's weird). Now they've invited everyone else to join their party.

If it's your party, you get to decide on the decorations and the cuisine.

Every space program is for peaceful purposes

[i kan reed]

Every single space program* is currently for peaceful purposes. But every single space program also has incredibly convenient methods to convert to completely-not-for-peace-at-all purposes at a very short notice.

*Unless you count North Korea's "space" "program"

Re:Every space program is for peaceful purposes

[tomhath]

Every single space program* is currently for peaceful purposes.

Every space program from the 1950's on has been primarily for two purposes: 1) Espionage 2) Missile technology. Science is a distant third but has always been used as the front for PR purposes.

Gravity Predition Come True

[tekrat]

The Movie "Gravity" had Sandra Bullock aiming for a Chinese Space Station which she ultimately uses to get home. Fuuny thing is; when the movie was made, I scoffed at the Chinese Space Station for being "sci-fi"; but it looks like they got me, and there will indeed be such a station (but no Space Shuttle, sorry George Clooney!).

So, Gravity was right!

Re:Gravity Predition Come True

[deadweight]

The idea that they are all basically in spacesuit commuting range of each other was more sci-fi than just having one.

Re:Gravity Predition Come True

[Dan East]

Here's a good analogy for the movie. Imagine that the hubble / shuttle and each of the two space stations are actually ships in the ocean. When you're in a spacesuit you're in a little dinghy paddling with oars. Thus there are only 3 ships in all the oceans, each operated by a different country with no coordination as to their positioning, yet miraculously they are all so close together in the vast stretches of the ocean that you can easily row from one to another.

Even then, the analogy still doesn't begin to do justice, because orbits are all about motion and not position, and are 3D with elevation, inclination, etc, etc, as well, so there are even more "places" to be than the entire expanses and depths of all the Earth's oceans.

It is called the trickle down effect

[Anonymous Coward]

"China insists that its space program is for peaceful purposes."

The technology will find it's way into everything from cars to nuclear weapons. That's what research and technology does, it spreads to new and different areas. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

The good thing about this is that maybe other countries will sit up and take notice. Even if you put aside the fact that we should have a lunar base by now, why doesn't the ISS have some sort of light maneuvering craft? A small 2-3 person craft could access satellites, do research away from the ISS, or even (with a slightly larger craft) do mapping and surveying missions of the moon. The Apollo program did great work with pretty basic craft by today's standards. A light maneuvering craft could also transfer personnel and supplies from one space station to another. Hey NASA, the astronauts need a space Mini-van for the weekends!

Re:It is called the trickle down effect

[ColdWetDog]

.. why doesn't the ISS have some sort of light maneuvering craft? A small 2-3 person craft could access satellites, do research away from the ISS, or even (with a slightly larger craft) do mapping and surveying missions of the moon.

Look up Delta V and get back to us with your handy 'little' spacecraft.

Yeah, right!

[bogaboga]

China insists that its space program is for peaceful purposes...

...with military characteristics...[or at least relevance].

Re:funding contributed by you

[50000BTU_barbecue]

I didn't get a choice in the matter. I keep my small electronics lab going with old North American test equipment, but except for tubes and other vintage parts, everything else is from China now.

What can I do about it?