Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Dec 7, 2006 1:02:15 GMT -6
China Catching Up In Space Race
Moscow, Russia (DPA) Dec 07, 2006
China's space capabilities, both civil and defence- oriented, are rapidly gaining ground on Russia and the United States, the world's most developed space programmes, Anatoly Perminov, head of Russia's Federal Space Agency, said Tuesday. "Today two countries - the US and Russia - maintain space programmes that cover all aspects from peaceful to defence purposes. China is approaching very close," Perminov said, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
In wide-ranging remarks on Russia's space programme, Perimov also said the price to travel into the cosmos would rise for space tourists.
"Twenty million to 25 million (US) dollars is what they pay now," the space agency chief said. "Whether we want it or not, that price, naturally, will rise."
www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_Catching_Up_In_Space_Race_999.html
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