Latest Breaking News

MowCowWhoHow III

(2,103 posts) Sun Oct 16, 2016, 09:06 PM Oct 2016

China launches longest manned space mission

Source: Reuters

China launched its longest manned space mission on Monday, sending two astronauts into orbit to spend a month aboard an space laboratory that is part of a broader plan to have a permanent manned space station in service around 2022.

The Shenzhou 11 blasted off on a Long March rocket at 7:30 am (07:30 p.m. EDT) from the remote launch site in Jiuquan, in the Gobi desert, in images carried live on state television.

The astronauts will dock with the Tiangong 2 space laboratory, or "Heavenly Palace 2", which was sent into space last month. It will be the longest stay in space by Chinese astronauts, state media reported.

Early on Monday, Fan Changlong, a vice chairman of China's powerful Central Military Commission, met astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong and wished them well, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-space-idUSKBN12G10V?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=580423bf04d301640afa190e&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

6 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

China launches longest manned space mission (Original Post) MowCowWhoHow III Oct 2016 OP

Space race! drm604 Oct 2016 #1

For that, though, we'll need Democratic majorities in both houses (besides a President Hillary). forest444 Oct 2016 #2

Actually, support for space is pretty much bipartisan. longship Oct 2016 #3

Yeah. Americans are big supporters of space exploration, and it seems to cross party lines. drm604 Oct 2016 #4

Isn't this what started the Alliance? Archae Oct 2016 #5

drm604

(16,230 posts)

1. Space race!

Reply to MowCowWhoHow III (Original post)

Sun Oct 16, 2016, 09:25 PM

Oct 2016

I do believe that we're about to have a new space race.

Hopefully it will be as exciting and as much a spur to technology as the last one.

forest444

(5,902 posts)

2. For that, though, we'll need Democratic majorities in both houses (besides a President Hillary).

Reply to drm604 (Reply #1)

Sun Oct 16, 2016, 09:37 PM

Oct 2016

Today's Republicans would rather shoot their dog than move a finger for NASA - an agency they've always opposed, and more so all the time.

longship

(40,416 posts)

3. Actually, support for space is pretty much bipartisan.

Reply to forest444 (Reply #2)

Sun Oct 16, 2016, 10:05 PM

Oct 2016

NASA has prominent centers in red states; Alabama and Texas come to mind quickly.

Although the NASA budget isn't what it was in the 60's, it has done pretty damned well the past few years. Planetary science is thriving right now.

But NASA could use a bit more. IMHO, basic science is always on the cutting block. That's too bad.

The NASA budget should be doubled. At minimum. But they've been doing pretty damned well with what they've got.