In China it was just past midnight when, after thirty orbits, the spacecraft Shenzhou 8 launched two days ago docked successfully with the Tiangong 1 module, which was put into orbit in September, at a height of about 343 km. Thus the first attempt by China to dock an unmanned spacecraft was completed.

When in China it was dawn, the spacecraft Shenzhou 8 took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center using a modified Long March 2F rocket, the most powerful made ​​by the Chinese. This is an unmanned spacecraft that after two days should make the first docking of an unmanned spacecraft attempted by the Chinese. The docking will occur with the module Tiangong 1, which was put in orbit last September.

Yesterday there was the inauguration of Spaceport America, a space airport strongly wanted by billionaire Richard Branson, the owner of Virgin Galactic, a private company created with the aim of offering sub-orbital space flights and missions to launch satellites into orbit.

NASA announced its Space Launch System (SLS) project for the next space travel, even beyond the Moon. The new system combines elements of the Space Shuttle program, the Constellation program that was to replace it but then was abandoned and several innovations that we hope will be developed. This system is designed to launch an Orion Crew Vehicle Multi-Purpose (MPCV).

The Space Shuttle Atlantis has just landed safely, completing the last of its 33 missions, this one with the official code STS-135. Its retirement marks the end of the Space Shuttle program.