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http://freebeacon.com/china-testing-new-space-weapons/
China last week conducted a test of a maneuvering satellite that captured another satellite in space during what Pentagon officials say was a significant step forward for Beijing’s space warfare program.
The satellite capture took place last week and involved one of three small satellites fitted with a mechanical arm that were launched July 20 as part of a covert anti-satellite weapons development program, said U.S. officials familiar with reports of the test.
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Thought this seemed interesting and useful.
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Hi Decimator!
Very interesting news.
It was fears about us doing exactly that 4 decades ago, that induced the Russians to fit their Almaz spy space station with a 23 mm cannon.
GW
GW Johnson
McGregor, Texas
"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew, especially one dead from a bad management decision"
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I see someone in the Chinese military finally got around to watching that bootleg copy of You Only Live Twice.
The Former Commodore
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NAsa did look to creating space tugs and capture systems as a result of shuttle plus the need to service Hubble way back when but that has since long past gone by the wayside.
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Servicing Hubble was easier to accomplish with a maneuvering spacecraft (the shuttle) that could go to the Hubble, a structure to which to secure it (the "table" in the shuttle bay), and a manipulator arm by which to capture and position it.
The mistake was launching those three items for every mission, when the three critical items could have been launched just once, and manned by a much smaller rocket-and-capsule at those times it was needed. We could still do that.
As to other uses, like all tools, it can be used or abused. Of course, anything providing such a capability could be used for space warfare. Existence of a technology does not provide proof if its actual intended use, but it certainly provides opportunity for any such uses.
Which is an example of the old adage "pay attention to what they do, not what they say", or in shorter form, "actions speak louder than words".
GW
GW Johnson
McGregor, Texas
"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew, especially one dead from a bad management decision"
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China has a satellite with an arm
https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/21/ … star_wars/
Also has been launching multiple sats, remote sensor, nine small satellites to space
optical remote sensing satellites,
NEO 1 spacecraft for a Chinese company named Origin Space will perform experiments aimed at validating technologies, such as a net, that might be used on future missions to capture and remove space junk from Earth orbit. The NEO 1 satellite will also observe small celestial bodies, presumably asteroids, CGWIC said in a press release.
Astronauts arrange new 'home' in space
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Astr … e_999.html
Astronauts on board the core module of China's space station have started to prepare their orbiting residence for operations over the next three months.
As soon as the three crew members-Major General Nie Haisheng, Major General Liu Boming and Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo-floated into the core module, named Tianhe, or Harmony of Heavens, on Thursday afternoon, they started to configure the electrolytic oxygen generators, install water tanks and arrange their sleeping quarters, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Tianzhou 2, the country's second cargo spaceship, carried 6.8 tons of supplies for Tianhe when it docked with it on May 29, including 2 tons of propellants, more than 160 packages of living and experimental materials as well as two extravehicular suits, each weighing around 100 kilograms, for astronauts to perform activities outside the core module.
In the next few days, the crew will continue unpacking gear inside Tianhe and Tianzhou 2 and arranging their living and work quarters. At the same time, the astronauts will conduct internal apparatus tests.
...
n the near future, three manned missions and three robotic cargo flights will be conducted for the station's construction. Two large labs will also be taken into space to link up with the station
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This topic has been idle since 2021 ... it is a stretch from a satellite with an arm to robots playing Soccer, but that is what this report is about:
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/article/ch … 37024.html
China's humanoid robots generate more soccer excitement than their human counterparts
Associated Press Finance
Sun, June 29, 2025 at 12:29 AM EDT
2 min read
Teams compete using the T1 robots from Booster Robotics during the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Teams using autonomous T1 robots from Booster Robotics compete in the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Workers carry out a T1 robot from Booster Robotics during the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
China Robot Soccer
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Teams compete using the T1 robots from Booster Robotics during the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Generate Key TakeawaysBEIJING (AP) — While China's men's soccer team hasn't generated much excitement in recent years, humanoid robot teams have won over fans in Beijing based more on the AI technology involved than any athletic prowess shown.
Four teams of humanoid robots faced off in fully autonomous 3-on-3 soccer matches powered entirely by artificial intelligence on Saturday night in China's capital in what was touted as a first in China and a preview for the upcoming World Humanoid Robot Games, set to take place in Beijing.
According to the organizers, a key aspect of the match was that all the participating robots operated fully autonomously using AI-driven strategies without any human intervention or supervision.
AdvertisementEquipped with advanced visual sensors, the robots were able to identify the ball and navigate the field with agility
They were also designed to stand up on their own after falling. However, during the match several still had to be carried off the field on stretchers by staff, adding to the realism of the experience.
China is stepping up efforts to develop AI-powered humanoid robots, using sports competitions like marathons, boxing, and football as a real-world proving ground.
Cheng Hao, founder and CEO of Booster Robotics, the company that supplied the robot players, said sports competitions offer the ideal testing ground for humanoid robots, helping to accelerate the development of both algorithms and integrated hardware-software systems.
AdvertisementHe also emphasized safety as a core concern in the application of humanoid robots.
“In the future, we may arrange for robots to play football with humans. That means we must ensure the robots are completely safe,” Cheng said. “For example, a robot and a human could play a match where winning doesn’t matter, but real offensive and defensive interactions take place. That would help audiences build trust and understand that robots are safe.”
Booster Robotics provided the hardware for all four university teams, while each school’s research team developed and embedded their own algorithms for perception, decision-making, player formations, and passing strategies—including variables such as speed, force, and direction, according to Cheng.
In the final match, Tsinghua University’s THU Robotics defeated the China Agricultural University’s Mountain Sea team with a score of 5–3 to win the championship.
AdvertisementMr. Wu, a supporter of Tsinghua, celebrated their victory while also praising the competition.
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Town & Country“They (THU) did really well,” he said. “But the Mountain Sea team (of Agricultural University) was also impressive. They brought a lot of surprises.”
China's men have made only one World Cup appearance and have already been knocked out of next years' competition in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
(th)
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