Discussion The Ultimate Chinese Space Discussion Thread!

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Aviation Week: Long March 7 To Fly Late Next Year:

XIAN, China — China’s new medium-heavy space launcher, the Long March 7, should fly late next year, entering service in an initial version capable of lifting 13.5 metric tons (30,000 lb.) to low orbit, making it significantly larger than current Chinese rockets.

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Parabolic Arc: China Eyes Human Lunar Missions as Long March Development Progresses

 

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Aviation Week: China Sets Plan For Moon Rocket Engine

 

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Xinhua: Shenzhou-9 may take female astronaut to space: official

Universe Today: Next Chinese Mission Might Include Some Women

 

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NASASpaceflight: China paving the way for first female taikonaut

 

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Aviation Week: ESA, China Discuss Shenzhou Docking At ISS:

European Space Agency Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain met with his Chinese counterpart March 22-23 to discuss future cooperation in manned spaceflight, including the potential for a Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft to dock with the International Space Station (ISS).

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Aviation Week: Bolden Reins In China Partnership Ideas

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft has reached the launch site!

Video (in Chinese)

 

[Cras]

Aviation Week: ESA, China Discuss Shenzhou Docking At ISS:

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Why in the world would ESA want the Chinese aboard the ISS? They have to know this conversation is going nowhere since the United States will not allow it.

 

[Jarvitä]

Why in the world would ESA want the Chinese aboard the ISS? They have to know this conversation is going nowhere since the United States will not allow it.

For one thing, China has an operational manned space-flight program.

 

[MattBaker]

Additionally China has money and are willing to put it into spaceflight.

 

[Cras]

What is the end game? Make some money charging China docking fees? renting out space on the Columbus lab? China already has their own designs on a space station, and they are at a point in their program that I am not sure what exactly could be learned from them, it is the other way around at this point, China wants to learn how they, and I would guess mainly NASA, went about and put ISS together and keeps the thing running.

 

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Aviation Week: New Chinese Rocket Engine Enters Production

 

[NovaSilisko]

It's very silly that there's a rule against NASA cooperating with the Chinese. How does that benefit either side? Are we really resorting to childish things like that? "No, you can't come into our fort, no girls(chinese) allowed!"

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Here's a treat for the orbitnauts: a 1 hour documentary that takes a look at the final 50 hours of the latest Chinese launch campaign. It's unfortunately in Chinese, but the shots of the launch control center and the behind-the-scene shots of the launch crew is worth taking a look. (especially as another Long March 3B is on this very same pad waiting for launch in a few days!)

Part I

Part II

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Finally some news on Shenzhou 9: the Long March 2F rocket that will launch it was delivered in a ceremony in Beijing today to the launch preparation team. The rocket will be transported to JSLC via rail tomorrow.

BTW it was confirmed there will be a female passenger on SZ-9!

 

[Jarvitä]

BTW it was confirmed there will be a female passenger on SZ-9!

Female astronaut.

 

[Alfastar]

Can somebody explain this: Tiangong 2 launch date is 2013. But its to heavy to be launched on any chinese rocket in that year (The Tiangong 2 is 20t) . 2014 is the year that the Long march 5 make there first launch (And the LM-5-522 is the only of the 5 types of the Long march 5 who can reach a object who weighs 20t in orbit, but the LM-5-522 first launch date is not know).

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Can somebody explain this: Tiangong 2 launch date is 2013. But its to heavy to be launched on any chinese rocket in that year (The Tiangong 2 is 20t) . 2014 is the year that the Long march 5 make there first launch (And the LM-5-522 is the only of the 5 types of the Long march 5 who can reach a object who weighs 20t in orbit, but the LM-5-522 first launch date is not know).

I'm pretty sure the bold part is incorrect - the Chinese actually built two of the "mini-space-stations" back in last year, one of them being TG-1. TG-2 will most probably make use of its backup, so it won't be too heavy to be launched on any Chinese rockets.

 

[Unstung]

Wikipedia may be out of date, but there's indeed no Chinese rocket that can lift Tiangong-2 in 2013:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_(rocket_family)#Specifications_of_Long_March_rocket_family

 

[Codz]

It's very silly that there's a rule against NASA cooperating with the Chinese. How does that benefit either side? Are we really resorting to childish things like that? "No, you can't come into our fort, no girls(chinese) allowed!"

A little late in reply but, geopolitical politics are a little more complex than that.