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China’s first cargo spacecraft successfully docks with the Tiangong-2 space lab

Saturday 22nd of April 2017

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April 22, 2017

 

China has successfully docked its first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 aided by the Tiangong-2 space lab. Its hailed as an important step towards China's ambition of establishing a permanently manned space station by 2022. China has an ambitious plan producing an enduring space station by 2022, that will be in the orbit not 10 years. Tiangong-2 (Heavenly Palace 2) space lab was home to 2 astronauts for 30 days in last October. It has been China's longest-ever manned space mission. iangong-2 was deal into space on September 15, 2016.China has prioritised advancing its space programme to strengthen national security.


Tianzhou-1 is definitely a tube-like craft that's efficient at carrying 6 tonnes of products, 2 tonnes of fuel which enables it to fly unmanned for three months. Its considered that cargo spacecraft has provided a very important technological basis for building an area station. According to Chinese sources, Tianzhou-1 will dock two more times with Tiangong-2 before falling here we are at Earth.


Despite its achievements, China still lags behind the United States and Russia. For illustration, in 2013, China's rover, ‘Jade Rabbit’ which landed on moon faced many technical difficulties.


Criticism


The US Defence Department has accused China of pursuing activities which are aimed toward preventing other nations from using space-based assets during a crisis. However, China has refuted such claims and possesses stated it has only peaceful ambitions in space, but has tested anti-satellite missiles. In 2011, the US Congress ordered that Chinese astronauts actually allowed to enter International Space Station (ISS) as a result of national security concerns.

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