China unveils rival to International Space Station

[Skyline]

China laid out plans for its future in space yesterday, unveiling details of an ambitious new space station to be built in orbit within a decade.

The project, which one Nasa adviser describes as a "potent political symbol", is the latest phase in China's rapidly developing space programme. It is less than a decade since China put a human into orbit for the first time, and three years since its first spacewalk.

The space station will weigh around 60 tonnes and consist of a core module with two laboratory units for experiments, according to the state news agency, Xinhua.

Officials have asked the public to suggest names and symbols for the unit and for a cargo spacecraft that will serve it.

Professor Jiang Guohua, from the China Astronaut Research and Training Centre, said the facility would be designed to last for around a decade and support three astronauts working on microgravity science, space radiation biology and astronomy.

The project heralds a shift in the balance of power among spacefaring nations. In June, the US space agency, Nasa, will mothball its whole fleet of space shuttles, in a move that will leave only the Russians capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The $100bn (£60.5bn) outpost is itself due to fly only until 2020, but may be granted a reprieve until 2028.

Bernardo Patti, head of the space station programme at the European Space Agency (Esa), said: "China is a big country. It is a powerful country, and they are getting richer and richer. They want to establish themselves as key players in the international arena.

Source/Full Article

 

[anon45]

more like a rival to mir...well if it was still orbiting in any case.

 

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

These power projection symbols will increase as the time passess.

 

[Thomas]

Nasa will be contracting with private companies for launches. The link below has a list of companies with projects under development.

List of private spaceflight companies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[applesauce]

more like a rival to mir...well if it was still orbiting in any case.

its not a "rival" to anything thats just from the media, and this is just another step in the space exploration projects of china, it has been known that a space station was planned for years and years now

 

[anon45]

its not a "rival" to anything thats just from the media, and this is just another step in the space exploration projects of china, it has been known that a space station was planned for years and years now

Pretty much. Media is overhyping as usual.

 

[Alphatech]

Good move by China, it should help promote space research by other countries as well. Only in the days of the old space-race did we make some of humanities greatest achievements. In these cases, competition is actually very helpful in getting funds for scientific exploration.

As for a "rival" for the ISS, well at less than a fifth of it size, it can hardly hope to be even noticed next to the ISS. From the model, it seems to be inspired by the old Soviet MIR. But even though it is considerably smaller than MIR, the fact that it has modern miniaturized electronics should allow it to effectively utilize the available space in a far better manner.

 

[nightcrawler]

One thing I must say:
They can do it

 

[Mech]

 

[Mech]

 

[Mech]

 

[ramu]

One thing I must say:
They can do it

Blessed are the Chinese who have an ally with belief on its capabilities more than its own.

On the article : Good move by China. Use of space for the betterment of mankind is a good effort. China should compliment the efforts from existing space infrastructure and not to duplicate the same. I am sure they are sensible people and will get the best for every buck spent.

 

[guest11]

Why wouldn't hooks rebound in space?

I don't know, lack of gravity would have made them afloat gently rather than bouncing and eager to run away.