This photo of the giant screen at the
Jiuquan Space Centre shows the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft preparing to link
with the Tiangong-1 module on June 24. China will deploy bigger
spacecraft for longer missions following the success of its Shenzhou-9
voyage, allowing it to build a manned space station and potentially put a
man on the moon, experts said.
China will deploy bigger spacecraft for longer missions
following the success of its Shenzhou-9 voyage, allowing it to build a
manned space station and potentially put a man on the moon, experts
said.
The 13-day voyage of Shenzhou-9, which returned to Earth on Friday, was China's longest-ever space mission and included the nation's first woman astronaut among its three crew members.
In another first for China's 20-year space programme, which has cost more than $6 billion, the crew also achieved the country's first-ever manual docking with an orbital module, the Tiangong-1, a high-speed and high-risk manoeuvre.
In the next mission that will occur at the end of this year or in
2013, Shenzhou-10's astronauts will link up with Tiangong-1 in a similar
flight, said Morris Jones, an Australian space expert focusing on
China's programme.
The mission will be the last docking with the Tiangong-1, which was put into orbit in September last year.
Morris said no more astronauts
would go on Tiangong-1 after the next mission. Then, in a few years,
China will launch a more sophisticated version, the Tiangong-2.
When that comes into play, the dimensions of China's space programme
will grow significantly, said Isabelle Sourbes-Verger, a specialist on
China's space programme at France's National Centre for Scientific
Research.
She said future vehicles would allow for larger space modules, longer missions and more powerful launch vehicles,
This
photo of the giant screen at the Jiuquan Space Centre shows Chinese
astronauts Liu Wang (C), Jing Haipeng (L) and Liu Yang in the Shenzhou-9
spacecraft as it prepares to link with the Tiangong-1 module on June
24. The crew achieved the country's first-ever manual docking with an
orbital module, the Tiangong-1, a high-speed and high-risk manoeuvre.
"Longer
periods in space -- one to three months -- cannot take place unless
there is a vehicle bigger than the 8.5 tonne Tiangong-1, which also did
not appear to have a resupply system," she told AFP.
"Tiangong-1... will be followed by two other versions with more
powerful 'life support' systems... and will possibly be capable of
docking with a second vehicle."
China is also developing the Long March 5, a next-generation booster rocket
that will be needed if the nation hopes to place a bigger space station
in orbit, said Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor at the US Naval War
College.
"Launching that space station... depends on the successful
development of a new heavy launch vehicle, the Long March 5," she told
AFP.
"I would expect to see this large space station in orbit
within the next 10 years -- which could make it the de facto
replacement for the now orbiting International Space Station (ISS),"
said Johnson-Freese.
She was referring to the life expectancy of the ISS -- run by the
American, Russian, Japanese, European and Canadian space agencies --
which is likely to function only to around 2020.
China has never been invited to join the ISS.
Sourbes-Verger said further advances in China's space station
programme would "guarantee" that the country plays a major role should
any eventual cooperation with the ISS take place.
To realise its ambitions beyond 2020, which may include sending a man
to the moon, China has also been advancing its "Chang'e" exploration
programme. This entails satellite launches to explore the lunar surface.
"Likely within the next five to eight years China will also make a
decision as to whether to pursue a human lunar mission," Johnson-Freese
said.
Meanwhile the United States, after retiring its space shuttle fleet,
is also developing a new rocket and technologies to place a man on an
asteroid or on Mars, she said.
"Both countries are moving forward, but not in a competitive path," she said.
China's space programme remains far behind the Americans. This was
highlighted by the fact that the manual space docking trumpeted by the
Chinese on the Shenzhou-9 mission was done by the Americans in the
1960s.
"If there is a space race going on, I think it is in Asia,"
Johnson-Freese said, pointing out that India had also set ambitious
goals.
July 1, 2012 by Boris Cambreleng (c) 2012 AFP_PHYS.ORG
Related:
First lady taikonaut and pals plunge into the dirt after space mating
After thirteen days in space, the astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-9 spaceship will return to the Earth.
The first stage of the process is for the re-entry module to separate from the orbital capsule.
The propulsion module will later separate from the re-entry module,
after it’s propelled it to a lower altitude of 140 kilometers. The
re-entry module will then adjust its position before making its entry
into the atmosphere. Well, as we can see, according to accurate
calculation, the module is to land at Siziwang Banner, in central Inner
Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Let's see this simple illustration. The module will pass through the
so-called "black out area". At this stage, communication is impossible,
due to high levels of friction with the atmosphere, causing extreme
temperatures. When the capsule is out of the black-out area, several
parachutes will be released one by one, to gradually slow the module's
descent. When the vehicle gets below 10km, the heat shield will be
jettisoned. At 1 meter above the ground, 4 small engines will ignite to
reduce the speed to a safe range for landing. Once on the ground; the
re-entry module will communicate with the control center to show its
location, so rescue teams find it as soon as possible.
The completion of the Shenzhou-9 mission will bring China one step
closer to building its own fully-fledged space station by 2020. China's
permanent space station is expected to weigh about 60 tons, so it
require rockets such as Long March 5 rockets to send different parts
into space. At the hub of China's future space station will be the Core
Module. It will control the station's altitude, propulsion, and life
support systems for the astronauts.
At one end of the core module is a small connecting chamber. On each
side of this are the two Laboratory Modules. Experiments can be carried
out both inside and outside these modules, testing such things as
exposure to cosmic rays, a vacuum environment, and solar winds. On the
other end of the space station is the cargo delivery module, which will
carry supplies, equipment and energy stocks. Back on the other side,
attached to the connecting chamber will be the Shenzhou spacecraft which
will travel between the space station and the earth. China's space
station is an ambitious and complicated structure but it’s still only
about one-sixth the size of the International Space Station.
Currently flying at an orbit of around 400 kilometers above the earth
is the International Space Station. The US and Russia have led the
design and construction of the ISS, with 16 other countries also
contributing to the project. China's main contribution to the ISS is the
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. It is a particle physics experimental
instrument designed to search for anti-matter and dark matter. These two
mysteries have been puzzling scientists for decades according to
theory, they should exist. But so far, no direct evidence has been
found. It's planned that the ISS will plunge back into the ocean in
2028.
By that time, if China's space program goes according to plan,
China's space complex will then be the only space station orbiting the
earth.
The Success on road to space!
BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The return of the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft
to Earth Friday morning marked the end of a 13-day journey through space
for three Chinese astronauts.
But it also marked the beginning of a new journey for China as it inches closer to its goal of building a space station.
China's space program has accomplished in 20 years' time the same
tasks that took developed nations nearly half a century to accomplish,
including manned space flights, space walks and a manned space docking
procedure.
The recent successful docking of the Shenzhou-9 and Tiangong-1 lab
module marks a new height for Chinese space exploration, as well as a
new leap forward for national rejuvenation.
China's space exploration took a long time to ramp up. In 1992, 43
years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country
decided to establish its manned space program.
Scientific policies have facilitated the program and helped it
develop comprehensively and sustainably. The aerospace industry was
given a larger role in the country's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) and
authorities have taken pains to implement every step of the manned
space program with great care.
The success of the Shenzhou-9 has demonstrated the power of China's
collective wisdom and capability. About 110 research institutions have
directly participated in the manned space program thus far, with more
than 3,000 institutions and units coordinating their efforts.
The mission has also demonstrated the success of socialism, showing
that it has the political advantage of accumulating wisdom and resources
to achieve great things.
Facing limitless space, China's space program is only just beginning.
The country will face challenges on its road to rejuvenation, but the
success of the mission has boosted national confidence and shown China's
people that the country's space program will have a bright future.- Xinhuat
Touchdown! Chinese Space Capsule With 3 Astronauts Returns to Earth
by SPACE.com Staff
Date: 28 June 2012 Time: 10:06 PM ET
This photograph of a China CCTV broadcast shows the Shenzhou
9 space capsule lying on its side after landing in an autonomous region
of China in Inner Mongolia on June 29, 2012 Beijing time (10 p.m. June
28 EDT) to end a 13-day mission to the Tiangong 1 space lab module. CREDIT: CCTV
Three
Chinese astronauts returned to Earth Thursday (June 28) after 13 days in
space on a historic mission that made their country only the third
nation ever to successfully dock a manned spacecraft to another in
orbit.
China's Shenzhou 9 space capsule landed at about10 p.m. EDT(10
a.m. Friday, June 29 Beijing time) in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous
region of the People's Republic of China. To prepare for their journey home, the space crew — which included China's first female astronaut Liu Yang — separated the Shenzhou 9 capsule its target, the Tiangong 1 prototype space module, on Wednesday (June 27).
Their landing was broadcast live on China's state-run CCTV television
network, showing the capsule streaking through the atmosphere like a
meteor, deploying its main parachute, then making the final landing and
rolling over on its side in a rough touchdown.
"We fulfilled the first manned manual docking," mission commander Jing
Haipeng told CCTV reporters after exiting the Shenzhou 9 capsule. His
comments in Chinese were translated into English by CCTV. "For the
country and people all across the country, thank you for your concerns."
[Photos of China's Shenzhou 9 Mission]
Jing and crewmates Liu Yang and Liu Wang appeared to be in good health
after their space mission. The trio wore broad smiles and waved to
cameras after leaving their spacecraft, but did sit in reclined chairs
to help ease their adaptation back to Earth's gravity after nearly two
weeks in weightlessness.
Shortly after the landing, China's Premier Wen Jiabao proclaimed the Shenzhou 9 mission a complete success.
"This manned docking mission of Tiangong 1 and Shenzhou 9 marks a large
milestone, a major breakthrough for China to master the space docking
technology," Wen said while reading a statement. "And also, it marks a
decisive step forward on China's second step on its space strategy."
Chinese
astronaut Jing Haipeng, commander of the Shenzhou 9 mission, salutes
after exiting the space capsule following landing in Inner Mongolia
autonomous mission on June 28, 2012. CREDIT: China Central Television/CCTV
China's big space leap
China's Shenzhou 9 mission,
which included successful displays of manual and automatic dockings,
represented an important leap forward for China's space program. In
addition to being China's longest space mission to date, it also tested
technology vital for the country's goal of building space station in
orbit by the year 2020.
"Chinese astronauts have their own home in space now," Jing told
China's President Hu Jintao on Tuesday (June 26) during a special call
according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. "We are proud of our
country!"
And while the orbital linkups are important technological achievements
for China, the mission also carried a wider social impact because it
included the country's first female astronaut: the 33-year-old Liu Yang.
"It was like a home in Tiangong, and I feel very happy and proud of my country," Liu Yang told reporters after landing.
Jing, the commander, is China's first veteran astronaut to fly in space
twice. The third crewmember, Liu Wang, served as the Shenzhou 9 docking
pilot.
"It feels really good to feel the ground and to be back home," Liu Wang said.
Shenzhou 9 mission,
which launched into space on June 16, accomplished China's first manned
space docking, after the spacecraft robotically docked to Tiangong 1 on
June 18. Several days later, on June 24, the astronauts backed away
from the orbiting module and parked their Shenzhou 9 spacecraft once
more, demonstrating manual control over the procedure as well.
The
successful linkups made China only the third country, after the United
States and Russia, to accomplish manned dockings in orbit.
The Shenzhou 9 mission, as well as experiments performed aboardTiangong 1throughout
the flight, tested technologies that will help China fulfill its goal
of building a 60-ton space station in orbit by 2020.
"The
data will help us improve technologies for astronauts' future, long-term
stays in a space station," said Chen Shanguang, chief commander of the
mission's astronaut system,according to Xinhua
China
is not a member nation of the $100 billion International Space Station
in low-Earth orbit, a roughly 430-ton orbiting outpost that is jointly
operated by more than a dozen countries.
But
Chinese officials have outlined an ambitious space program for the
nation, which includes collecting samples from the moon and robotically
returning them to Earth before landing astronauts on the lunar surface.
The Shenzhou 9 mission is China's fourth manned spaceflight. Previous expeditions were launched in 2003, 2005 and 2008.
The
Tiangong 1 test module was launched into orbit in September 2011. In
November, a robotic spacecraft, called Shenzhou 8, completed the
country's first unmanned space docking. According to Chinese officials,
Tiangong 1 has performed well, and could play host to another crew in
the near future.
"Based
on current conditions, the service of Tiangong 1 can be extended," said
He Yu, chief commander of the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, reported Xinhua.
"It has consumed less than one-fourth of its fuel and no back-up systems
have been used."
Depending on its condition, the module could remain in orbit as China continues its space station construction efforts.
"If Tiangong 1 was in perfect shape, it could work side by side with Tiangong 2, which will be launched in the future," He said.
The Russians started the space race back in the 1950s.
This picture taken on June 12, 2012 shows
Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force fighter pilot Liu Yang
(L) together with her two male colleagues, Jing Haipeng (C) and Liu Wang
(R), in their spacesuits as they pose for an official photo at the
Jiuquan space base, north China's Gansu province. China said on June 15,
2012 that a female astronaut will be among the three-person team on
board the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, and will take off at 6.37 pm (1037 GMT)
on June 16 from the Jiuquan space base in the Gobi desert for the
country's fourth manned space launch, with Liu Yang, 33, and two male
astronauts on board. (Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife)
The U.S. perfect it with putting a man on the moon, then with a series
of modern high tech space shuttle missions and Mars ROVERS. But now,
the final frontier captains are more likely to be Russians, with their
hopes for a human Mars landing someday, or Chinese, with a new China
space station due within the next 8 years.
While the U.S. has basically scrapped its space mission, slashing the
budget of NASA and now too close to a fiscal cliff to invest in
fly-by-night government funded manned space operations, China is on the
move.
The country’s Shenzhou IX spacecraft, carrying two male astronauts
and one female astronaut into space this week, completed its first-ever
manual docking with the Tiangong I space lab on Sunday. The manual
docking of two ships whipping through space ultimately demonstrates
China’s grasp of essential space rendezvous and docking know-how. Manual
docking requires astronauts to have a precise judgement on the relative
distance between Shenzhou IX and the Tiangong-1 module, a challenge to
their capability of coordination, accuracy and psychological stability.
The astronauts have done more than 1,500 docking simulations on the
ground to ensure a successful manual docking.
Their successful completion of the docking mission at 12:47 pm local
time on Sunday means China is fully capable of transferring humans and
cargo to an orbiter in space much like the Americans, only the Americans
have abandoned further work in this area beyond the current
International Space Station expedition which ends next month. That
current mission is actually being commanded by Oleg Dmitrievich
Komonenko, a Russian national born in Turkmenistan. He’s one of three Russians on the Russian Proton vesssel, with two Americans and one astronaut from The Netherlands.
China’s three astronauts boarded Tiangong through Shenzhou IX where
they will continued conducting various scientific experiments on the
space lab before heading returning.
Chinese Astronauts Manually Dock Spacecraft at Orbiting Module in National First
This still from a CNTV bradcast shows the view from a camera
aboard China's Shenzhou 9 space capsule shows the spacecraft just after
it was manually docked to the Tiangong 1 space lab by astronaut Liu
Wang on June 24, 2012. CREDIT: CNTV/CCTV
Three Chinese astronauts manually docked their space capsule at an
orbiting module Sunday (June 24), a major first for China's space
program and the country's plans to build a large space station.
The astronauts docked their Shenzhou 9 spacecraft with the unmanned
Tiangong 1 module 213 miles (343 kilometers) above Earth. It was the
second orbital linkup in a week for the two spacecraft, which performed China's first automated space docking June 18.
Shenzhou 9's astronauts Liu Wang, Jing Haipeng and Liu Yang — who is
China's first female astronaut — are the fourth Chinese crew to fly in
space. The astronauts launched into orbit on June 16, atop a Long March
2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's northern
Gansu province.
Tiangong 1 has been in orbit since September 2011, and was part of
China's first robotic docking with the unmanned Shenzhou 8 capsule in
November. The Shenzhou 9 crew made their first docking with Tiangong 1
June 18, marking the first time a manned Chinese spacecraft has docked
with another vehicle in orbit. [Shenzhou 9: China's 1st Manned Space Docking (Pictures)]
The
three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft grasp hands to
celebrate their successful manned docking with the Tiangong 1 orbiting
module on June 24, 2012. At center is astronaut Liu Wang, who piloted
the successful docking. Mission commander Jing Haipeng is at left with
astronaut Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut, at right. CREDIT: China Manned Space Engineering
Earlier today, the astronauts undocked the two spacecraft and flew
Shenzhou 9 about 1,300 feet (400 meters) away. They then maneuvered
their capsule by hand, with Liu Wang at the helm, back into docking
configuration with Tiangong 1 at 12:48 p.m. China Standard Time, or 12:48 a.m. EDT (0448 GMT).
"The success of the manual rendezvous and docking mission represents
another important phase achievement of the Shenzhou 9 and Tiangong 1
rendezvous and docking mission," Wu Ping, spokeswoman of the China
Manned Space Program, said during a press briefing following the
docking. "The three astronauts will once again enter the orbiting module
of Tiangong 1 to carry out scientific experiments."
The mission's docking maneuvers are a milestone in the development of
China's manned space program, which flew its first astronaut in space in
2003. Tiangong 1 (which means "Heavenly Palace" in Chinese) is a
prototype for China's first manned space station, which officials say
will be functional by 2020.
China is the third country after Russia and the United States to fly astronauts into space.
After today's docking, the Shenzhou 9 astronauts (known as taikonauts)
received a message from a group of Chinese oceanauts who are setting
records not above the ground but below it.
"We wish for a great success of the manual docking and brilliant
achievements in China's manned space and manned deep-sea dive causes,"
read a message sent by three crewmembers aboard the Chinese submersible
Jiaolong, 7,015 meters (23,000 feet) beneath the Pacific Ocean in the
Mariana Trench, the deepest spot on Earth, state-run newspaper Xinhua
reported.
China achieved another milestone in its space program as the
Shenzhou-9 spacecraft successfully completed its second docking with the
Tiangong-1 space lab module by hand. This was China’s first ever manned
manual space docking.
Ten meters, five meters, three.
It was a moment astronaut Liu Wang had practiced for, more than 1.500 times. And he knew he could do it.
Photo taken on June 24, 2012 shows the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center showing Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft parting from the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab to prepare for the country's first manual space docking. The spacecraft and the space lab were joined together by an automated docking on June 18. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)
Liu said, "I’m 100% sure of a successfully operation. Because I can’t fail."
Dubbed the "space needle threading" mission, the astronauts had to
carefully adjust the craft’s trajectory with very little margin for
error.
It all culminated in the historic moment.
Shenzhou-9’s docking ring makes contact with the Tiangong-1 and a
tight seal is formed as the connection between the craft is secured.
It was even more accurate than the first automated docking of Shenzhou-9 and Tiangong-1.
The State Council Information office then announced the success of the mission.
Wu Ping, spokeswoman for State Council Information Office said, "I
can announce that the first Chinese manned docking of the Shenzhou-9
spacecraft and the Tiangong-1 space lab module has been successfully
completed."
A big success, but it’s not over yet.
After the docking, the astronauts entered Tiangong-1 for another four days of experiments.
Following this, they’ll return to Shenzhou-9’s re-entry module, to prepare for the journey back to earth.
Good news came as the crew of the Jiaolong submersible surpassed
the country’s dive record by going deeper than 7,000 meters after a
successful test dive in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday morning.
A record breaking moment.
Jiaolong, China’s manned submersible successfully completed a dive of
7,015 meters below sea level at around 11 am local time, 8:55 am
Beijing time. It’s the craft’s fourth dive into the Mariana Trench.
China's manned submersible Jiaolong is put into water to make the fourth dive into the sea at the Mariana Trench on June 24, 2012. Chinese scientists refreshed the country's dive record in a manned submersible by going to 7,000 meters beneath the sea after a successful test dive in the Pacific Ocean Sunday morning. The Jiaolong, China's manned submersible named after a mythical sea dragon, succeeded in diving 7,015 meters below sea level at 11 a.m. local time during its fourth dive into the Mariana Trench. Three oceanauts conducted the dive, which started at 7 a.m. local time in heavy rain. (Xinhua/Luo Sha)
The submersible then went on to finally reach a maximum depth of 7,020 meters below sea level.
The three oceanauts sent greetings from the bottom of the deep blue
sea to the three astronauts in outer space, who were about to carry out
their manual docking of Shenzhou-9 with the orbiting Tiangong-1 lab
module.
"We wish the Shenzhou-9 crew success with the manual docking and
great achievements for China’s manned space and deep-sea dive missions."
Various samples and video footage have been taken during the deep sea mission to benefit future scientific research.
This file photo, taken in 2011, shows
the Chinese submersible 'Jiaolong.' The submersible broke through the
7,000-metre mark in an ocean dive on Sunday, state media said, setting a
new national record for China.
A manned Chinese submersible broke through the 7,000-metre
mark for a new national record on Sunday, state media said, as the
rising Asian nation showed off its technological might.
The "Jiaolong" craft dived 7,015 metres (23,015 feet) in the Mariana Trench
in the western Pacific Ocean on its fourth dive since arriving in the
area earlier this month, the official Xinhua news agency said.
The dive came on the same day as China
was attempting its first manual space docking, a complex manoeuvre that
will bring the country a step closer to building a space station.
"This (dive) shows the performance of the submersible is stable,"
mission chief commander Liu Feng told state television in a live
broadcast from aboard the ship supporting the submersible.
"The level of our technical personnel is getting better and better."
The Jiaolong -- named after a dragon from Chinese mythology --
carried three people into the Mariana Trench, the deepest place in the
world.
Applause broke out as a depth gauge aboard the supporting ship
Xiangyanghong registered more than 7,000 metres, state television
showed.
The same submersible reached 5,188 metres in a Pacific dive in July
last year. And in a series of three previous dives since June 15, the
craft has gone deeper each time. Experts say 7,000 metres is the limit
of its design.
Experts say China intends to use the submersible for scientific
research, such as collecting samples of undersea life and studying
geological structures, as well as future development of mineral
resources.
On its third dive on Friday, the crew collected samples of water and sediment and took photos of sea life, Xinhua said.
Scientists say the ocean floors contain rich deposits of potentially
valuable minerals, but the extreme depths pose technical difficulties in
harvesting them on a large scale.
And the stability and durability of the craft presents further problems for future operations.
The recent round of dives have seen some minor technical glitches,
such as the breakdown of communications equipment and problems with the
adjustable ballast system, state media has reported.
The 7,000 metre dive was previously scheduled for Monday, state media
had reported. The reasons for the change of date were unclear but mean
the record-setting dive comes the same day as China's landmark space manoeuvre.
A Chinese Long March 2F rocket launches on the Shenzhou 9
mission, China's first manned space docking flight and first flight of a
female astronaut, on June 16, 2012 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch
Center. CREDIT: China Manned Space Engineering Office
China is gearing up to perform its first-ever manned space docking
Monday (June 18), a feat that would put it in the company of history's
two greatest spacefaring nations, the United States and Russia.
China's Shenzhou 9 space capsule
— which launched Saturday (June 16) carrying three astronauts,
including the country's first female spaceflyer — is expected to link up
with the unmanned Tiangong 1 space lab around 3 p.m. Monday Beijing
time (3 a.m. EDT; 0700 GMT), according to Chinese media reports.
Shenzhou 9 will dock with Tiangong 1
twice, with the first hookup being automated. At some point, the two
spacecraft will separate, and the three taikonauts, as China's
astronauts are known, will perform the second docking manually.
Forty-six-year-old Jing Haipeng leads the taikonaut crew, which also
includes Liu Wang, 42, and 33-year-old Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut.
All are members of the Communist Party of China and former pilots with
the People's Liberation Army; Jing flew on China's last manned
spaceflight, which took place in 2008.
Two of the taikonauts will live aboard Tiangong 1 during the 13-day
mission, while one will stay aboard Shenzhou 9 at all times in case of
emergency, Chinese officials have said.
A look inside China's Tiangong 1 space lab, which launched into orbit in
September 2011.CREDIT: Dragon in Space
Shenzhou-9's flight is considered a key step in China's plan to build a
permanently staffed space station in Earth orbit. The nation hopes to
have a 60-ton station and up and running by 2020. (For comparison, the
International Space Station weighs about 430 tons.)
Analysts say China's exclusion from the ISS, largely on objections
from the United States, was one of the key spurs for it to pursue an
independent program 20 years ago.
While Shenzhou 9's flight is China's first attempt at a crewed space
docking, the nation has successfully linked up two robotic spacecraft in
orbit. In November, the unmanned Shenzhou 8 craft docked twice with
Tiangong 1 before returning safely to Earth.
Shenzhou 9's mission is China's fourth manned spaceflight, following
taikonaut launches in 2003, 2005 and 2008. Another manned mission to
Tiangong 1 — which launched to orbit in September 2011 — could come
later this year, Chinese officials have said.
THE
Internet sphere in China has been abuzz with one name since the name
list of the three astronauts launching to space under its Shenzhou 9 mission was announced last Friday.
Liu Yang is the toast of the country and her hometown in Zexia village in Henan province’s Linzhou city.
“Rocket
will launch at 18:37. Among the three, one is the country’s first
female to go to space (applause). Wish them a safe return!” iii-e-n-vU
tweeted on weibo.
Another netizen Beautiful Olive Tree said: “Wish Shenzhou 9 a great success! Mighty female astronaut!”
Mikki said on weibo: “No. 1 hero Liu!” while Li Yongkang simply put it: “I love you, happy journey to you.”
The Shenzhou 9
spacecraft ferrying Liu Yang and her two fellow crews Liu Wang and Jing
Haipeng blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu
province at the scheduled time on Saturday to perform China’s first
manned space docking mission with the Tiangong 1 space lab module which
has been orbiting space since September last year.
The
33-year-old, who was admitted to the Civil Aviation Flight University at
19 that led to her road to space, will be responsible for the
experimental research work during the 13-day space mission.
Villagers
at Liu Yang’s hometown only knew about her top secret mission a day
before the press conference to announce and introduce the three
astronauts.
They gathered at her house with her parents and
family to watch the press conference live on television. Liu Yang’s
mother was in tears while her father was glued to the television.
When
Liu Yang waved to the journalists, the proud parents candidly waved
back in recognition as if their daughter could see them.
Liu Yang’s uncle Niu Zhenxi said she seldom returned home in the past year due to her strenuous preparations for the mission.
“We
found out that she was going to space only from the media. She never
told us about it but we fully understood that her job nature was
confidential,” Niu said.
Liu Tianchai, 72, had become a famous
man in the village because her granddaughter excelled in the family by
also being a high-ranked officer.
“Some villagers have been on
flights before but none had ever flown a plane. It was definitely out of
our imagination that my granddaughter was going to space,” he said.
Tianchai
said his granddaughter was now the pride of the family but he added
that without good education in a bigger city, it would be hard for her
to make the mark.
Other family members simply wished her a safe return from space.
They
described Liu Yang as someone who behaved as tough as a man, saying
that she did not care too much about what she wore like other teenage
girls.
She loves reading history books, novels and cooking. Her signature dishes include Coke chicken wings and stone-pot mixed rice.
She has fair writing and public speaking skills. She is also a part-time event host.
At
the press conference, Liu Yang said she had turned from a pilot to an
astronaut to “fly to greater heights and longer distances”.
“Besides
the heavy workload during this mission, I hope I will be able to see
more of the wonderful environment in space and enjoy every moment of
this voyage.
“I thank everyone who supports us. We will not let them down and will work as a team to get our job done,” she added.
Made In China by CHOW HOW BAN hbchow@thestar.com.my
China set to launch bigger space programme
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