http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1258761/smooth-launch-shenzhou-x-crew-chinas-longest-manned-space-missionSmooth launch for Shenzhou X crew on China's longest manned space missionStephen Chen at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, Inner MongoliaWednesday, 12 June, 2013 [Updated: 1:55PM]<snip>But the future of China's largest space launch centre [Jiuquan] is under a cloud, because it will soon be eclipsed by an even bigger one in Wenchang , Hainan , which is nearing completion.Lu Jinron, the chief engineer at Jiuquan, said Wenchang would definitely have an impact on Jiuquan. Launches for the construction of a space laboratory would still be carried out by Jiuquan, but Wenchang would take over the heavy lifting job for China's ambitious space station project, scheduled for completion by 2020, he said."Jiuquan will still be responsible for all manned launches," he said. "We have more experience. We also have sunnier weather. We can provide absolute safety to the astronauts."
I've never seen this one before. Note the lunar exploration vehicle docked to the station on the lower left corner.
EDIT: I did some research and the first four characters (货运飞船) say "cargo ship". I wonder what the last two say.
Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program, said the country will be able to rendezvous with other countries' spacecraft at the space station. China is also exploring the possibility of carrying out a joint rescue operation, according to Zhou....If China starts taking foreign astronauts to outer space, we would like to be the first candidate," said Ahmed Bilal, chairman of the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission. We also want to cooperate with China in remote sensing technology and educating the public about space."
China's space station to open for foreign peers
I noted that the animations for Tiangong 2 suggesting that refuelling might come along while the space lab is unmanned, thus meaning that - like Tiangong 1 - only one docking port is required on the lab. So, Tiangong 2 will not be based upon the modular station's core module or an experimental module.
1-I thought this comment was interesting:"Othman said she is convinced that China will promote space exploration for all mankind with its resolve and huge investment.I think China can lead in the international community's exploration of space. It has the political will to expand its manned space endeavors, and based on that will, China has ensured and set aside enough resources."2-Has anyone seen any recent illustrations with a Lunar Lander docked to the ISS?
Quote from: HappyMartian on 09/19/2013 09:38 am1-I thought this comment was interesting:"Othman said she is convinced that China will promote space exploration for all mankind with its resolve and huge investment.I think China can lead in the international community's exploration of space. It has the political will to expand its manned space endeavors, and based on that will, China has ensured and set aside enough resources."2-Has anyone seen any recent illustrations with a Lunar Lander docked to the ISS?1-That reads like a standard UN bureaucrat not saying anything substantive.China is going to have difficulty with signing up international partners because many countries are scared of them. Will they get South Korea? Japan? Vietnam? No. All their neighbors are concerned about China's regional ambitions. I doubt they will get the Indians, but for more complex reasons.Then again, the United States' biggest problem with signing up international partners is that the U.S. is unreliable.2-Did you mean ISS or the Chinese station? Any discussions of a U.S. return to the Moon bypass the ISS. It's in the wrong orbit.
Quote from: Blackstar on 09/19/2013 05:20 pmQuote from: HappyMartian on 09/19/2013 09:38 am1-I thought this comment was interesting:"Othman said she is convinced that China will promote space exploration for all mankind with its resolve and huge investment.I think China can lead in the international community's exploration of space. It has the political will to expand its manned space endeavors, and based on that will, China has ensured and set aside enough resources."2-Has anyone seen any recent illustrations with a Lunar Lander docked to the ISS?1-That reads like a standard UN bureaucrat not saying anything substantive.China is going to have difficulty with signing up international partners because many countries are scared of them. Will they get South Korea? Japan? Vietnam? No. All their neighbors are concerned about China's regional ambitions. I doubt they will get the Indians, but for more complex reasons.Then again, the United States' biggest problem with signing up international partners is that the U.S. is unreliable.2-Did you mean ISS or the Chinese station? Any discussions of a U.S. return to the Moon bypass the ISS. It's in the wrong orbit.AFAIK if they are getting foreign astronauts on their station it will be more likely from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, some African nations etc.
Will a crew be launched before the automatic dockings of the two experiment modules