China To The Rescue?

An illustration of a Shenzhou spacecraft in orbit. (credit: Chinese Society of Astronautics)

Back in July, in a post about a proposed joint European-Russian manned spacecraft called the Crew Space Transportation System, I speculated about whether anyone had thought of approaching the Chinese for help in dealing with the impending retirement of the Space Shuttle and the five-year gap in American manned spaceflight that will cause before the planned Shuttle replacement -- the Constellation/Ares/Orion system -- comes on line.

 

How will we get to the ISS during those five years?  Will we be entirely dependent upon the Russian Soyuz program?  Or should we consider asking the Chinese for a ride on their fledgling manned space program?

Now, according to this article from Space.com, the Obama administration is considering doing just that. 

It's about time.  We should invite the Chinese to be partners in the ISS as well.  Humanity's future in space is secure only if humanity acts in concert and pools its resources.