Tiangong 1 (or 'Heavenly Palace' in the original Mandarin) is the culmination of aeronautic breakthroughs, science-fiction motivation and mounting hostilities between China and the U.S.
Although the Chinese attempted to nudge their way into the worldwide partnership responsible for maintaining the International Space Station, they were immediately rejected by the US-led consortium. Short of reeling from the rejection, the People's Republic endeavored to build their own station, whose prototype is set to launch later by the end of September. The 8.5-ton Tiangong 1 module will be used to help cosmonauts master rendez-vous and docking procedures. Although smaller and less costly than NASA's orbital station, the Heavenly Palace is more fuel-effecient and effective as a manned spaceport, further challenging America's status as the world leader in extraterrestrial travel. It's almost ironic that, without the external pressure from the States, China may never have had the wherewithal to develop the Tiangong 1.
Revived Space Races
Tiangong 1, China's Orbital Station, Goes it Alone Against the ISS
Trend Themes
1. Private Space Stations - The development of China's Tiangong 1 showcases the trend of private space stations and the potential for countries or corporations to establish their own spaceports.
2. Rivalry in Space - The mounting hostilities between China and the US in the development of space stations highlights the trend of rivalry in space exploration and the potential for disruptive innovations fueled by competition.
3. Efficiency in Space Travel - The fuel-efficiency and effectiveness of China's Tiangong 1 compared to NASA's orbital station points to the trend of focusing on efficiency in space travel and the potential for disruptive innovations in propulsion systems and technologies.
Industry Implications
1. Space Exploration - The race to develop space stations between China and the US creates disruptive innovation opportunities in the space exploration industry, including advancements in space technology and commercial space travel.
2. Aerospace Manufacturing - The development of private space stations requires advancements in aerospace manufacturing, presenting disruptive innovation opportunities in the industry for efficient and cost-effective manufacturing processes.
3. Propulsion Systems - With the focus on efficiency in space travel, there are disruptive innovation opportunities in the propulsion systems industry to develop more efficient and sustainable methods of propulsion for space exploration.