China shows space skills with satellite rendezvous
China has pulled off a tricky and uncommon feat in space flight, manoeuvring one of its satellites to within about 300 yards of another while they were orbiting Earth, space analysts say. Some analysts view the rendezvous as a potentially ominous sign of China's ability to carry out a hostile act or espionage against a rival satellite in space. Others say it could have been a test of docking skills. Read more
China has successfully sent into space a scientific research satellite at 9:39 a.m. Tuesday from northwest China's Gansu Province. The satellite "Shijian XII," sent from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre of Gansu Province, was carried by the China-developed Long March 2D rocket. Source
A Chinese CZ-2D Long March 2D launch vehicle with the Shijian-12 research satellite was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, in Gansu Province, at 9:39am local time, 15th June, 2010.