China successfully launches three astronauts to its space station
The new colonial movement: China today successfully used its Long March 2F rocket to place three astronauts into orbit to begin a six month mission to that country’s new space station.
The image to the right is a screen capture from the live stream, mere seconds after launch.
It appeared to me that the rocket’s first stage might have had grid fins to control its reentry, but I am not certain. Either way both it and the four strap-on boosters will crash in China.
The Shenzhou capsule will dock with the station in a few hours.
The leaders in the 2021 launch race:
36 China
23 SpaceX
17 Russia
4 Northrop Grumman
China has now moved ahead of the U.S. in the national rankings, 36 to 35.
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The new colonial movement: China today successfully used its Long March 2F rocket to place three astronauts into orbit to begin a six month mission to that country’s new space station.
The image to the right is a screen capture from the live stream, mere seconds after launch.
It appeared to me that the rocket’s first stage might have had grid fins to control its reentry, but I am not certain. Either way both it and the four strap-on boosters will crash in China.
The Shenzhou capsule will dock with the station in a few hours.
The leaders in the 2021 launch race:
36 China
23 SpaceX
17 Russia
4 Northrop Grumman
China has now moved ahead of the U.S. in the national rankings, 36 to 35.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Anyone notice during the liftoff all those panels flying off? I hope those were not the grid fins!
Since China has now moved ahead of the US 36 launches to 35, I am going to repeat my post from earlier today:
If you dug deep into the bowels of the CCP, I bet you would find a ‘Department of National Pride’. This department probably churns out a few high profile policy papers for the Communist stalwarts on the 205 person Central Committee.
One policy of national pride that was on display last summer was the race for gold medals at the Olympics. The US just edged out China in gold medals 39 to 38, and it could have gone either way.
Bob’s Post tells us that the U.S. and China are now tied at 35 successful launches.
I’m betting that the Chinese already have a plan for 2021 to have the most launches by the end of the year. Along with their Martian rover (based on theft of design & IP of US past rovers), Chinese Space accomplishments in 2021 should provide quite a propaganda victory that the Communists can use to help the world forget about that biological weapon unleashed against the world in 2019.
Mark: You might want to take a gander at my last annual launch report, posted at the start of this year. It will give you some context on what is happening now.
They mean business…
“That’s no moon. It’s a godless commie space station.”
That’s a good assignment from Bob, and I will add it to my weekend reading list.
Just curious – Is 2,157 words your longest post? :)