China space program

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Space Force Is Considering Setting Up Base in 3rd Country

Commander says force is also considering setting up hotline with its counterpart in China

(Newser) - The commander of the US Space Force says the newest branch of the military is stepping up its activities in Asia and is considering establishing a hotline with its counterpart in China. Gen. Chance Saltzman said Monday that Space Force has discussed "opening up a line of communication to...

China Sets Out Ambitious Space Goals

Country plans to have astronauts on moon by 2030

(Newser) - China’s burgeoning space program plans to place astronauts on the moon before 2030 and expand the country's orbiting space station, officials said Monday. The announcement comes against the background of a rivalry with the US for reaching new milestones in outer space, reflecting their competition for influence on...

Chinese Crew Returns From Space Station

Astronauts spent 6 months working on Tiangong

(Newser) - Three Chinese astronauts landed in a northern desert on Sunday after six months working to complete construction of the Tiangong station, a symbol of their country's ambitious space program, state TV reported. A capsule carrying commander Chen Dong and astronauts Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe touched down at a...

China Launches 3 Astronauts to New Space Station

They'll stay 3 months in the Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony

(Newser) - Under bright blue morning skies, China launched its first crewed space mission in five years Thursday, sending three science-minded military pilots rocketing to a new orbiting station they're expected to reach around mid-afternoon. The astronauts, already wearing their spacesuits, were seen off by space officials, other uniformed military personnel,...

Why China's Moon Mission Matters

It could learn a lot about what we don't know about

(Newser) - Last month China became the third country to "soft land" on the moon, and as the Los Angeles Times points out, most residents of the second country to do so (that would be America) didn't bat an eyelash. But Chang'e 3 is blowing away one group: lunar...

China Becomes 3rd Country to 'Soft Land' on Moon

Completes first soft landing of a space probe in nearly 40 years

(Newser) - State media say China has safely carried out the world's first soft landing of a space probe on the moon in nearly four decades. State television showed pictures of the moon's surface as the Chang'e 3 lander touched down tonight. The lander carries a moon rover called...

China Now 3rd Country to Complete Space Feat

Crew to spend 6 days on space lab after successful docking

(Newser) - China has officially joined the US and Russia as just the third country in the world to have completed a manned space docking, reports CNN . Earlier today the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft docked with the orbiting Tiangong-1, the next step in the Middle Kingdom's ambitious five-year plan for space exploration. The...

China Readies for 1st Manned Space Docking

Milestone comes 6 months after China announced 5-year space plan

(Newser) - Yet another advance is in the works for China's space program. China will try for its first manned space docking later in June, its space agency announced today, according to the New York Times . The Shenzhou 9 will dock with the Tiangong 1 space lab "sometime in June,...

8 Stories