The space race is back on – but who will win?

Alliances are shifting as states led by China and Russia compete with the US and tech entrepreneurs

Liu Boming took in the dizzy view. Around him lay the inky vastness of space. Below was the Earth. Wow," he said, laughing. It's too beautiful out here." Over the next seven hours Liu and his colleague Tang Hongbo carried out China's second spacewalk, helped along by a giant robotic arm.

Mission accomplished, the two taikonauts - China's astronauts - clambered back into their home for the next three months: Beijing's new space station. The core module of the station, named Tiangong, meaning heavenly palace", was launched in April. There will be more spacewalks. The station will keep growing," Liu said.