The Problems with China's Space Program

China has been quietly building its space program, launching its own space station, beating the US to the lunar South Pole , and landing a Rover on Mars .

The weirdness of the Chinese space program starts with where they launch their rockets from.

Launching east from their southeastern coastline would benefit from a launch velocity boost and allow them to safely land rocket stages in the Pacific Ocean .

However, the region just east of Xicheng is dotted with small villages, so every launch puts Chinese villagers at risk from falling rocket stages.

In 2007 , China destroyed one of its own satellites using a missile, a clear showcase of their military power.

In response, the United States passed the Wolf Amendment forbade NASA from direct cooperation with the Chinese space program.

This means the International Space Station , the pinnacle of cooperation between space faring nations, now excludes one of the world's superpowers.

But this may well have just accelerated China 's technological progress.

In 2011 , they launched the Tiangong 1A small 15 cubic metre space station, intended to last two years , but instead of deorbiting in 2013 as planned, it remained in orbit for five years to test its components longevity.

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