China's "Shenzhou 10", next manned space mission launches today (June 2013)

[CougarKing]

At this rate, they may indeed go to the moon within the next couple of decades...or even Mars. 

link

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will launch its next manned space flight on Tuesday, carrying three astronauts on a 15-day mission to an experimental space lab, the National Space Administration said, in the latest step towards the development of a space station.

The Shenzhou 10 spacecraft will launch from a remote site in the Gobi desert in China's far west at 5:38 p.m. (0938 GMT), Wu Ping, spokeswoman for China's manned space program, told a televised briefing on Monday.

Once in orbit, the craft will dock with the Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) 1, a trial space laboratory module, and the two male and one female astronauts will carry out various experiments and test the module's systems.

They will also give a lecture to students back on earth, Wu said.

China is still far from catching up with the established space superpowers, the United States and Russia.

But the Shenzhou 10 mission will be the latest show of China's growing prowess in space and comes while budget restraints and shifting priorities have held back U.S. manned space launches.

It will be China's fifth manned space mission since 2003.

China also plans an unmanned moon landing and deployment of a moon rover. Scientists have raised the possibility of sending a man to the moon, but not before 2020.

(Reporting by Jonathan Standing; Editing by Robert Birsel)

 

[Edward Campbell]

And Chna Daily reports a A dream launch for Shenzhou X.

Here are two illustrations from the article:

Shenzhou X, China’s fifth manned spacecraft, atop an
upgraded Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasts off from
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 5:38 pm on Tuesday.
Zou Hong / China Daily

Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-06/12/content_16609013.htm

 

[a_majoor]

Best of luck to them. I bet Chris Hadfeild is feeling a twinge of envy right about now....

 

[CougarKing]

I bet Chris Hadfeild is feeling a twinge of envy right about now....

After doing this?

Or this?

Somehow, I doubt it.  ;D

One of China's taikonauts would have to bring an erhu to space or rap to Jay Chou to match what Commander Hadfield did.

 

[a_majoor]

After doing this?

Or this?

Somehow, I doubt it.  ;D

One of China's taikonauts would have to bring an erhu to space or rap to Jay Chou to match what Commander Hadfield did.

I would not put it past them  ;D

But the important thing is they are out there and Commander Hadfield is now back here.

Best wishes to all (and who knows, they may surprise us all....)