Only four entities have put a space capsule in orbit and brought it back: the United States, Russia, China -- and Elon Musk. It is Musk's company, SpaceX, that launched that capsule to the space station today.
What an incredible achievement.
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China launches first module for space station
From Al Jazeera:
Thursday's launch brings the growing Asian power closer to matching the US and Russia and comes at a time when budget restraints and shifting priorities have held back US manned space launches.
The module's name, Tiangong, translates to "Heavenly Palace".
Armstrong to Nasa: "You're Embarrassing"
Neil Armstrong addressing the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology:
We will have no American access to, and return from, low Earth orbit and the International Space Station for an unpredictable length of time in the future.
For a country that has invested so much for so long to achieve a leadership position in space exploration and exploitation, this condition is viewed by many as lamentably embarrassing and unacceptable.
A lead, however earnestly and expensively won, once lost, is nearly impossible to regain.