Saudi Arabia imposes SR100,000 fine on Hajj and Umrah firms for not reporting visa overstays    US defends tariffs on remote island of penguins and seals    Israeli protesters urge Netanyahu to secure hostage deal during meeting with Trump    Palestinian teen died in Israeli prison after suffering 'likely prolonged malnutrition', autopsy finds    Saudi U-17s qualify for 2025 FIFA World Cup after win over Thailand    The Seven Dogs wraps filming in Riyadh with a budget exceeding $40 million    Trump's crackdown on university protests is casting a long shadow    Al-Jasser: work is underway to restructure and develop aviation infrastructure    Virtual Notary Public provided over1.4 million digital documentation services in 2024    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



China says docking mission step to space station
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 19 - 11 - 2011

China's space program on Friday called the recovery of an unmanned spacecraft that docked twice with an orbiting module a major step toward a future space station, and said it remained open to cooperation with other nations despite US objections.
The Shenzhou 8 craft parachuted to the ground in China's western desert late Thursday after more than two weeks in space. It docked twice with the Tiangong 1 module, which remains in orbit, during a mission proving China capable of successfully docking by remote control. Early US astronauts did so manually.
“It represents a major breakthrough for our country's space rendezvous and docking technology program,” said Wang Zhaoyao, deputy director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office.
Although China is developing its space station on its own, Wang said China welcomed outside involvement on the basis of “mutual respect, mutual benefit, transparency and openness.”
“We welcome colleagues and experts in the space field to join us in developing and operating this space station so that we can together make greater contributions to manned space flight and the peaceful use of space,” Wang told reporters at a news conference discussing the Shenzhou 8 mission.
China will conduct two more space docking missions next year, one of them possibly manned, and plans to complete a manned space station around 2020. At about 60 tons, the Chinese station will be considerably smaller than the 16-nation International Space Station.
China has made steady progress toward a space station since a 2003 launch that made it only the third nation to put a man in space. Two more manned missions have followed, and China separately seeks to launch a lunar rover next year.
The country launched an independent space station program after being rebuffed in its attempts to join the ISS, largely on objections from the United States. The US is wary of the Chinese program's military links and the sharing of technology with its chief economic and political rival.
Despite that setback, China has refused to rule out future participation in the ISS, a willingness Wang reiterated Friday, and says its craft could dock with the ISS and spacecraft of other nations with only minor adjustments.
Wang said none of the eight Shenzhou missions have had direct military application, but conceded that the space program included many technologies such as communications satellites that could also be utilized by the military. Such so-called dual-use technologies are a common feature of the American and other space programs.
As a major player in science, China needs to independently master space technologies, Wang said, but he added that “independent development does not mean isolated development.”
“China stands ready to carry out exchanges and cooperation with other countries in this field,” he said.
Already, China has had limited but fruitful engagement in space cooperation with Russia, Germany, France and other nations, Wang said. He said the Shenzhou 8 landing allowed the recovery of 17 biological experiments carried out with Germany in the docking vehicle.


Clic here to read the story from its source.