Is there a second space race coming? China has announced plans to further their space exploration.
Rising space power China is preparing to place a second experimental space station into orbit this year followed by a pair of astronauts who will dock with it and live on board for several days.
The government’s China Manned Space Agency said Sunday the Tiangong 2 space lab will lift off sometime after June. Shortly afterward, the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft will follow, the latest in a series of crewed Chinese missions that began in 2003.
Next year, the Tianzhou 1 cargo ship will be launched to dock with the Tiangong 2 and provide it with fuel and other supplies.
China launched Tiangong 1, its first space station, in 2011 and plans to construct a permanent station by 2022. China is planning a total of 20 space missions for this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
befudled says
Big whoop !!
Mark Allen says
As usual another place where we led the world as true space pioneers now going to other parts of the world which may not be friendly to USA. Plenty of $ available to space program if we stop subsidizing enemy countries which is nothing more than bribery to get them to follow civilized western world rules. If they don’t want to play fair … take them out before they do it to us. Once they have Nuclear capability, you know they will find excuse eventually to use it. Take them out before they take us out!!! I am not a hawk but if and when we chose to fight, fight to win, not draw a line that means nothing but time for enemy to regroup and rearm!
Why waste American lives while we have firepower to win!!!!