CZ-7 launch drill under way at Hainan
27 January 2015
An all-system drill simulating the launch of a Chang Zheng-7 (CZ-7, or Long March-7) rocket is currently under way at the newly-built Hainan launch centre. Photos circulating on the Chinese social media show a non-flying CZ-7 drill rocket identical to that used in a real launch standing on the mobile launcher platform (MLP) at Hainan.
Russia to propose BRICS Space Station
27 January 2015
According to Russian news agency TASS, Russia has drafted a proposal for a joint space station for the five BRICS nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. "It would be useful to explore the possibility of an international manned spaceflight project with the BRICS nations within an overall strategy of entering into technological alliances," Russian experts are quoted by TASS. The document, compiled by Russia's Military-Industrial Commission, could become a subject of discussion during this year's BRICS summit.
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New taikonauts needed for China's space programme?
26 January 2015
Morris Jones, Australia's leading space analyst, is summarising for SpaceDaily the current and future situation in China's taikonaut corps. In his article, he is analysing which space missions are to be expected and whether a new taikonaut selection is likely.
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CSA and ESA: Joint Call for Proposal for scientific space mission released
19 January 2015
ESA's Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration and the Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS have agreed to jointly pursue a scientific space mission, to be implemented by the ESA Science Programme and the Chinese National Space Science Centre NSSC under CAS. The released Joint Call for Missions solicits proposals for such mission from the scientific communities in the ESA Member States and in China. The proposal submission deadline is 16 March 2015. The mission selected as an outcome of the present Joint Call will follow a collaborative approach through all the phases: study, definition, implementation, operations and scientific exploitation.
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