China to conduct first ‘kiss-in-space’ docking tomorrow
China, which sent three astronauts into orbit a week ago, said they would conduct the nation’s first manual space docking tomorrow — a key step to building a space station.
In a brief dispatch, the official Xinhua news agency quoted an unnamed spokesman for China’s manned space program as saying that the highly complex maneuver would take place at noon (0400GMT) the following day.
If you didn’t see China’s lift off, you can see it here:
The technique is hard to master as it involves two vessels — placed in the same orbit and revolving around Earth at thousands of kilometers per hour — coming together very gently without destroying each other.
China’s current space mission kicked off last Saturday when the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft took off carrying China’s first female astronaut. Two days later, it came together with the Tiangong-1 module already in orbit around Earth.
China has carried out automatic dockings three times already, but the main goal of the current manned mission — China’s fourth — is to complete the first manual ‘kiss in space’, which requires great accuracy from astronauts.
China aims to complete construction of a space station by 2020, a goal that requires it to perfect docking technology — a delicate maneuver that the Russians and Americans successfully completed in the 1960s.
The ability to dock manually is necessary in case of any problems with the automatic procedure, such as the control center being unable to carry it out remotely from Earth.
The team — headed by Jing Haipeng, a veteran astronaut on his third space mission — have rehearsed the procedure more than 1,500 times in simulations.
Liu Wang, who has been in the space program for 14 years, will be in charge of manual docking maneuver, while Liu Yang, China’s first woman to travel to space, will conduct aerospace experiments during the mission.
China sees its space program as a symbol of its global stature, growing technical expertise, and the Communist Party’s success in turning around the fortunes of the once poverty-stricken nation.
Source AP
CHINA CONSTRUCTS FIRST ‘KISS-IN-SPACE’ DOCKING TOMORROW FOR BAD CONDUCT?? THAT ASTRONAUT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE MELISSA LEE=I KNEW THEY SENT HER TO CHINA BUT WHO KNEW THAT SHE NEEDED TO GO TO THE MOON TO GET MOONED?? WHAT ELSE IS NEW?? CHRISTA MCAULIFFE IT IS ALL OVER FOR US AND THAT IS A REAL SHAME BC I WATCHED THAT ENTIRE THING HAPPEN IN MAI DORM ROOM AT FORDHAM=WEI WERE SEW CLOSE DAMN IT!! KISS MAI ASS WHILE YOU ARE UP THERE WITH ANTI-GRAVITAS CHINA! YUE KNOW BEING THAT YUE LOVE TO COPY THE USA SEW MUCH, I HEARD THAT THEY REALLY NEED EXPERTS TO DIG AND FIND TREASURE, GOLD ACTUALLEE AT THE VERY BOTTOMS OF PLANET EARTH AND BELOW=YUE SHOULD ALL GO THERE TO DISCOVER THE “HIDDEN TREASURES”=HURRY NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!! 🙂
MOONLIGHT SONATA
China, which sent three astronauts into orbit a week ago, said they would conduct the nation’s first manual space docking tomorrow — a key step to building a space station. In a brief dispatch, the official Xinhua news agency quoted an unnamed spokesman for China’s manned space program as saying that the highly complex maneuver would take place at noon (0400GMT) the following day.
I wonder if they’re not talking about a different kind of “docking”? First Chinese conceived in space? I’d dock with MelliLee in space….but that’s just a preference. Don’t starch the shorts, please.
SHE DOES STARCH THE SHORTS WHICH IS THE ONLY REASON WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO DOCK WITH MELLILEE.
I JUST STATED THAT I LOOK JUST LIKE HER WHEN SHE WEARS 3″ OF MAKEUP AND BATWINGS SEW I REALLY RESENT THAT COMMENT!! NOT SEW FUNNY!! MEN CHASE AFTER MEE BC I AM MARISA SUNG AND BC I HAVE HUGE BOOBS, A GREAT ASS AND GIVE REALLY BIG HEAD ER WORKING BRAIN AND DON’T YUE FORGET IT!! ALSO I AM VERY SWEET, CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS AND FUNNY IN CASE YUE HAVEN’T ALREADEE NOTICED THAT!!! NOT TO MENTION THAT I EXTEND CREDIT THAT I DO NOT HAVE WHEREVER I GO=WHERE ELSE ARE YUE GOING TO CATCH A FINE FISH LIKE MEE?? THAT’S IT=IT IS OVER FOR US BC WIE ARE DIVORCED!! NOW I MOVE ON TO BIGGER BETTER LINE OF CREDIT=NO MORE SOUP FOR YUE!! YOU WILL BE SORRY LOSER BC I AM LIKE THE AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD=NO GREAT MAN LEAVES HOME WITHOUT MEE!!! 🙁