China's space station design

In sci.space.history Pat Flannery wrote:
Basically, it's a copy of Mir:

Short of being a giant, spinning wagon-wheel, or made from modules
that inflated to look like pot stickers, don't all space stations at
this point resemble variations on the theme?

http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/chin...t_12395227.htm
The cargo spacecraft looks like it may have more internal volume than a
Progress though.

Pat

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Basically, it's a copy of Mir:
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/chin...t_12395227.htm
The cargo spacecraft looks like it may have more internal volume than a
Progress though.

Pat

In article
tatelephone,
says...

Basically, it's a copy of Mir:
http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/chin...t_12395227.htm
The cargo spacecraft looks like it may have more internal volume than a
Progress though.

Of course it looks like a copy of Mir. You didn't expect the Chinese to
actually innovate, did you? Unfortunately for China, they're good at
copying, but not terribly good at innovation. Because of this,
innovative US companies like SpaceX will leave them in the dust.

Jeff
--
" Solids are a branch of fireworks, not rocketry. :-) :-) ", Henry
Spencer 1/28/2011

On 5/4/2011 3:51 PM, Rick Jones wrote:
In sci.space.history Pat wrote:
Basically, it's a copy of Mir:

Short of being a giant, spinning wagon-wheel, or made from modules
that inflated to look like pot stickers, don't all space stations at
this point resemble variations on the theme?

The core module is is virtually identical to Mir's. The ball docking
assembly shows two empty ports when the station is finished, leaving
more room for two more added modules if desired.
The experimental modules are quite a bit different in design from the
ones used on Mir though, looking more like modified versions of the core
module. They also seem to lack obvious rocket engines, leaving one
wondering how they are maneuvered to the core module for docking once in
orbit.
Maybe they have modified Shenzhou equipment modules on their rear ends?

Pat