China launches rocket to space station

JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China on Saturday sent three astronauts, including its first female astronaut Liu Yang, into space for the nation's manned space docking mission.

Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, atop an upgraded Long March-2F carrier rocket, blast off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China's Gobi dessert at 6:37 p.m. Saturday.

Shenzhou-9 will complete an automated docking procedure with the orbiting Tiangong-1 lab module in two days. The astronauts will then
attempt a manual docking which is considered as a major step forward in China's manned space program to build a space station around 2020.

About 20 minutes after the ignition, commander-in-chief of China's manned space program Chang Wanquan announced the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft had accurately entered its orbit and the launch was successful.


http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-06/16/c_131657477.htm


It would appear there are now 3 genuine contenders in the 'space race'. i.e. This with the technology (and cash) to put people into space and keep them there. I don't know what the benefits will be but I do feel that humanity should always be pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve. It's what sets humans apart and it would be a great shame if we stopped doing so.

PS The reason China is doing this alone apparently was because the USA excluded them from being involved in the International Space Station programme.

why is china trying to go it alone I wonder, why not participate in the ISS.
After all it has got so far so fast by stealing the tech from others, why not participate and get it legally.

Flap Meister wrote:why is china trying to go it alone I wonder, why not participate in the ISS.
After all it has got so far so fast by stealing the tech from others, why not participate and get it legally.

From what I've heard, (no sources just hearsay), China wanted to join the ISS but was blocked from participating by the USA.

IlonaSong wrote:

Flap Meister wrote:why is china trying to go it alone I wonder, why not participate in the ISS.
After all it has got so far so fast by stealing the tech from others, why not participate and get it legally.

From what I've heard, (no sources just hearsay), China wanted to join the ISS but was blocked from participating by the USA.

well I suppose that could be the case as they have stolen so much from the US in the past. The chinese stealth fighter does bear an uncanny resemblance to the F22

Flap Meister wrote:

well I suppose that could be the case as they have stolen so much from the US in the past. The chinese stealth fighter does bear an uncanny resemblance to the F22

I did a search all I found were other blogs nothing authoritative but allegedly it is illegal i.e. USA have made a law, that NASA cannot cooperate in any way with China.

IlonaSong wrote:

Flap Meister wrote:

well I suppose that could be the case as they have stolen so much from the US in the past. The chinese stealth fighter does bear an uncanny resemblance to the F22

I did a search all I found were other blogs nothing authoritative but allegedly it is illegal i.e. USA have made a law, that NASA cannot cooperate in any way with China.

it is illegal for us electronics to go into the chinese space program.
However I would have thought it would be worth having the chinese onboard these days as they have the money