Thanks to the Nanoassembly, advanced assembly bays (AAB's) could handle larger shipping with better precision. AAB's played a critical role in reducing shipping accidents and supplying colonies. In 2290, China demonstrated the danger of operating a space station without AAB's. The Shanghai, China's first passenger ship, collided with the space station Mao killing all of Shanghai's 275 passengers. The accident forced China to reevaluate its space program. The catastrophic loss signaled both the need for AAB's and the defeat of the Chinese in the race to colonize space.