China Completes First Space Docking Test 106
MrSeb writes "China has joined two space vehicles together in orbit for the first time. The unmanned Shenzhou 8 craft, launched earlier this week, made contact with the Tiangong-1 space lab at 1729 GMT. The union occurred over China itself. Being able to dock two space vehicles together is a necessary capability for China if it wants to start building a space station towards the end of the decade."
Re:Fast track into space (Score:5, Insightful)
China's certainly moving at a brisk pace.
NASA:
First manned flight: 1962
First orbital rendevouz: 1965
First orbital docking: 1966
China:
First manned flight: 2003
First orbital docking: 2011
I'd say more 'glacial' than 'brisk'
Congrats! (Score:5, Insightful)