China makes steady strides in space capabilities

Subject

China's space programme.

Significance

A much-improved Shenzhou-11 spacecraft successfully docked on October 19 with the Tiangong-2 orbiting space lab, where the two crew remained for 30 days, touching down again on November 18. This was China’s longest manned mission yet, demonstrating a growing capability to sustain astronauts in orbit as part of a plan to assemble a permanent space station by the early 2020s.

Impacts

• China will not compete for showy 'firsts' but present its step-by-step progress as demonstrating prudence and reliability.
• Space-based military capabilities (which do not include the space station) will strengthen China's ability to enforce its maritime claims.
• Concerns over the military applications of space technology will heavily circumscribe cooperation with NASA in particular.
• A differing approach to cooperation with China risks driving a wedge between NASA and its European counterparts.