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China Plans to Launch First Orbiting Space Station in 2023

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China has announced that it will launch its first orbiting space station 10 years from now, Sept. 26, 2013.

China plans to launch its first orbiting Space Station by 2023, officials announced at the 64th International Astronautical Congress that began Sept. 23 in Beijing.

The station itself will consist of three capsules. One capsule contains a core module while the other two contain laboratories. The space station will also be equipped with a cargo craft to ferry supplies to and from the station. The core module alone is expected to weigh at least 20 metric tons.

[READ: Voyager 1 Enters Inrerstellar Space]

The space station is expected to hold six individuals for short-term missions and three for lengthier ones.

Xu Dazhe, general manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, told the BBC that his company's primary effort will be to research and develop improved orbit refueling technologies and sustainable life support.

Xu told reporters that China will launch Tiangong-2 in two years, in preparation for the launch of the space station. Tiangong-2 will act as a trial capsule allowing China's team to adjust and experiment with the technologies the space station will require.

[MORE: Astronaut Describes Nearly Drowning In Space ]

Once the space station is functioning and ready for orbit, the Chinese plan to use it to collect data on technical tests that require long-term orbits into space.

China's first female astronaut, Liu Yang, told the IAF that China would welcome foreign astronauts for possible missions in the future. Some say this is a huge step toward partnership and unity in an industry that has sustained considerable competition on a global scale.

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China Plans to Launch First Orbiting Space Station in 2023

Cygnus arrival at space station delayed again

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Sep. 23, 2013 at 1:07 PM ET

Orbital Sciences Corp.

An artist's rendering of the Cygnus spacecraft.

The first arrival of a brand-new commercial cargo ship at the International Space Station has been delayed until no earlier than Saturday to make way for a new crew launching to the orbiting lab this week, NASA officials say.

The unmanned Cygnus spacecraft built by Orbital Sciences Corp. which launched into orbit on Sept. 18 was initially expected to link up with the station on Sunday (Sept. 22), but a software glitch forced controllers to abort the arrival and wait at least 48 hours for the next attempt.

Today, NASA and Orbital officials said the supply ship will not arrive at the space station until Saturday, in part because a new station crew Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy and NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins is launching to the orbiting lab Wednesday on a Russian Soyuz capsule. [See photos of Orbital Sciences' 1st Cygnus spacecraft flight]

"This new schedule will allow the Orbital operations team to carefully plan and be well-rested before restarting the critical final approach to the space station," Frank Culbertson, Orbital's executive vice president and general manager of its advanced programs group, said in a statement. "Meanwhile, Cygnus has all the resources needed to remain in orbit for an extended period of time."

Orbital's Cygnus spacecraft team has now tested software to fix the software glitch that prevented the attempted rendezvous with the space station on Sunday. Because of extra time needed for that troubleshooting, as well as the impending Soyuz launch and docking on Wednesday, the team opted to push the Cygnus arrival at the station until the weekend at earliest, company officials said.

Officials with NASA and Orbital Sciences do not have an exact timeframe for Cygnus' approach and rendezvous yet, but once Soyuz operations are complete the space agency and private firm will develop a schedule.

The now-Saturday rendezvous will mark the first time a Cygnus capsule has visited the space station. The spacecraft is designed to be captured by the astronauts using the station's robotic arm, and then attached to an open docking port. The current mission is a demonstration flight to show that Cygnus and its Antares rocket can safely haul supplies to the $100 billion outpost. Orbital Sciences holds a $1.9 billion contract with NASA to fly eight missions with Cygnus and Antares.

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Cygnus arrival at space station delayed again

China's space station to open for foreign peers

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China is willing to provide training and open the Chinese space station to foreign astronauts, senior space flight officials said.

"We would like to train astronauts from other countries and organizations that have such a demand, and we would be glad to provide trips to foreign astronauts," said Yang Liwei, deputy director of China Manned Space Agency. We will also welcome foreign astronauts who have received our training to work in our future space station."

Yang, China's first astronaut, who went into space in 2003, said many countries submitted proposals to the Chinese government during the development of the space station, hoping China would help train their astronauts and then send them to the station to conduct scientific experiments.

The effect of including foreign participants in our space programs is not only that these nations can send their people to outer space, but also that we will enable them to develop their own space projects."

Yang made the remarks during the five-day United Nations/China Workshop on Human Space Technology, which opened in Beijing on Monday.

A total of 150 participants from more than 20 nations and regions attended the conference. They are expected to discuss new space projects, microgravity research, international cooperation as well as awareness education for the public.

China has been involved in a host of cooperative projects with other nations, according to Yang.

China and Russia have collaborated on astronaut training, spacecraft technology and extra-vehicular suits, and we are cooperating with our French counterparts on a variety of experiments in astrobiology and space medicine," he said, adding that Chinese and German scientists also performed astrobiological experiments during the unmanned Shenzhou VIII mission in 2011.

Astronauts from the European Space Agency and their Chinese peers have visited each other's training facilities, laying a solid foundation for further communication.

The exchanges with other countries and organizations will make us familiar with their techniques and experiences, hence boosting our research and development of the space station."

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China's space station to open for foreign peers

Cygnus spacecraft's arrival at space station delayed by incoming crew

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13 hours ago

Orbital Sciences Corp.

An artist's rendering of the Cygnus spacecraft.

The first arrival of a brand-new commercial cargo ship at the International Space Station has been delayed until no earlier than Saturday to make way for a new crew launching to the orbiting lab this week, NASA officials say.

The unmanned Cygnus spacecraft built by Orbital Sciences Corp. which launched into orbit on Sept. 18 was initially expected to link up with the station on Sunday (Sept. 22), but a software glitch forced controllers to abort the arrival and wait at least 48 hours for the next attempt.

Today, NASA and Orbital officials said the supply ship will not arrive at the space station until Saturday, in part because a new station crew Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy and NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins is launching to the orbiting lab Wednesday on a Russian Soyuz capsule. [See photos of Orbital Sciences' 1st Cygnus spacecraft flight]

"This new schedule will allow the Orbital operations team to carefully plan and be well-rested before restarting the critical final approach to the space station," Frank Culbertson, Orbital's executive vice president and general manager of its advanced programs group, said in a statement. "Meanwhile, Cygnus has all the resources needed to remain in orbit for an extended period of time."

Orbital's Cygnus spacecraft team has now tested software to fix the software glitch that prevented the attempted rendezvous with the space station on Sunday. Because of extra time needed for that troubleshooting, as well as the impending Soyuz launch and docking on Wednesday, the team opted to push the Cygnus arrival at the station until the weekend at earliest, company officials said.

Officials with NASA and Orbital Sciences do not have an exact timeframe for Cygnus' approach and rendezvous yet, but once Soyuz operations are complete the space agency and private firm will develop a schedule.

The now-Saturday rendezvous will mark the first time a Cygnus capsule has visited the space station. The spacecraft is designed to be captured by the astronauts using the station's robotic arm, and then attached to an open docking port. The current mission is a demonstration flight to show that Cygnus and its Antares rocket can safely haul supplies to the $100 billion outpost. Orbital Sciences holds a $1.9 billion contract with NASA to fly eight missions with Cygnus and Antares.

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Cygnus spacecraft's arrival at space station delayed by incoming crew

Scythe Plays Space Station Silicon Valley – E1 – [EU] Level 1, 2, 3, 4 (Let’s Play 100% Walkthrough) – Video

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Scythe Plays Space Station Silicon Valley - E1 - [EU] Level 1, 2, 3, 4 (Let #39;s Play 100% Walkthrough)
Click Here to Subscribe!!! ? http://bit.ly/17QJQyO EUROPEAN ZONE [EU] 03:45 LEVEL 1: SMASHING START (Trophy: We #39;ll get it later) 07:47 LEVEL 2: HAVE A NICE D...

By: Antignarot

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Scythe Plays Space Station Silicon Valley - E1 - [EU] Level 1, 2, 3, 4 (Let's Play 100% Walkthrough) - Video

Scythe Plays Space Station Silicon Valley – E2 – [ICE] Level 11, 12 (Let’s Play 100% Walkthrough) – Video

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Scythe Plays Space Station Silicon Valley - E2 - [ICE] Level 11, 12 (Let #39;s Play 100% Walkthrough)
Click Here to Subscribe!!! ? http://bit.ly/17QJQyO EPISODE 2 ICE ZONE [ICE] 03:27 LEVEL 11: SNOW JOKE (Trophy: Hit the switch that turns the level dark and r...

By: Antignarot

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Scythe Plays Space Station Silicon Valley - E2 - [ICE] Level 11, 12 (Let's Play 100% Walkthrough) - Video


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