Chinese space officials are rolling out a welcome mat to other nations eager to gain access to their future space station. <\/p>\n
The Chinese government has designed a multiphase station program aimed at launching a Tiangong 2 space laboratory around 2015, an experimental space station in 2018, followed by a 60-ton multi-module space station in the 2020 time frame. <\/p>\n
The invite to countries to participate in China's space station was one aspect of the United Nations\/China Workshop on Human Space Technology, jointly hosted by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the China Manned Space Agency, held in Beijing on Sept. 16-19. [China's Vision for Space Exploration (Video)] <\/p>\n
According to Chinese news reports, some 150 participants from more than 20 countries, regions and international organizations took part in the four-day event, exchanging views on space technology cooperation. <\/p>\n
The workshop covered a wide swath of space topics, ranging from national, regional and international space programs to the role of Asia-Pacific space cooperation in advancing space technology. Other topics included microgravity science, space mineral resources, and the development of manned space science activitiesfor Chinese youth. <\/p>\n
Human spaceflight players <\/p>\n
Elliot Pulham, chief executive officer of the Space Foundation in Colorado Springs, Colo., took part in the workshop and branded the gathering as significant. He was the only U.S. citizen to make remarks at the ceremonies commemorating Chinas 10th anniversary of human spaceflight. <\/p>\n
\"There were many presentations from countries that we are accustomed to viewing as 'space applications' users, and not human spaceflight players,\" Pulham told SPACE.com. \"And yet the degree to which space experts from the various nations have thought through all the benefits and applications of human spaceflight technology was striking,\" he said. <\/p>\n
\"It is clear that the many, many countries with space programs of varying complexity and maturity have all thought exhaustively about what makes human spaceflight special, and how we can all leverage it to change the world for the better,\" Pulham said. <\/p>\n
'Missing links' of Russia and U.S. <\/p>\n
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China Invites Foreign Astronauts to Fly On Future Space Station<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chinese space officials are rolling out a welcome mat to other nations eager to gain access to their future space station. The Chinese government has designed a multiphase station program aimed at launching a Tiangong 2 space laboratory around 2015, an experimental space station in 2018, followed by a 60-ton multi-module space station in the 2020 time frame. Continue reading