China successfully launched a new Shenzhou spacecraft to automatically rendezvous and dock with its new Tiangong 1 space station test module. The unmanned Shenhou 8 spacecraft will test automatic rendezvous and docking hardware, maneuvers and techniques, essential to China's ability to build up and operate infrastructure in low earth orbit and elsewhere in space as well. First docking is scheduled Thursday, and the linked combination will stay docked for 12 days, then undock and orbit the earth in formation for a time, then automatically dock again before undocking for a final time, then returning to Earth.
This module is unmanned, but a future version equipped to house a crew is scheduled to be launched in 2016, and following a four year buildup, will be completed and fully operational in 2020. This station will have several modules, and be resupplied by an unmanned cargo spacecraft similar in concept to the Progress series of spacecraft that have serviced Soviet and Russian space stations since 1980.
It isn't known if the Chinese intend to keep a crew in orbit continuously, or fly expeditions and keep crews in orbit for a time, then return them home, leaving an uncrewed spacecraft in orbit.
The Chinese view space as important to their reemergence as a world power, and a modern analog to the voyages of exploration undertaken in the 15h Century by Admiral Cheng Ho's fleet, throughout Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, and eastern Africa and the Persian Gulf region. They rightly understand the link between opening a fronter outside of China, and the flow of newly created wealth from the utilization of resources and energy from that frontier. Something the US used to understand, but has apparently chosen to ignore.
