Special Report: Third Manned Space Mission
Commentary: Taikonaut
Zhai's small step historical leap for China
Backgrounder: Chinese
footprints in outer space
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's third manned spaceship Shenzhou-7 launched a small monitoring satellite about two hours after an astronaut accomplished the country's first spacewalk Saturday afternoon.
The satellite, less than 40 kilograms in weight, will orbit the orbital module and send back the spaceship's first full video images.
It is equipped with two cameras that can capture clear images in a distance between four meters and two km, according to Shen Xuemin, deputy director of the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, developer of the satellite.
The accompanying satellite will observe and assist the main spaceship and work for communication, scientific experiment, earth and astronomy observation, he said.
"The task will test our ability to observe and control two objects in relative motion in space. Through this, we will prepare for the future orbiter docking," said Zhao Guangheng, deputy chief designer of the country's manned space program's space application system.
China will seek a breakthrough in the orbiter docking technology in its next manned spaceship Shenzhou-8, a step for the ultimate goal of building a permanent space laboratory.
Although China has managed to launch more than one satellites with one carrier rocket, it was the first time to monitor and control a satellite launched from a spaceship, said Lu Lichang, a designer of the program's remote control and communication system.
"To make sure the accompanying satellite orbits around the moving spaceship, we need to accurately monitor both the objects. It is quite difficult to work out control parameters of its motion," he said.
In addition, as the satellite is moving in a near-earth orbit, the control work is more vulnerable to atmosphere changes, he said.
Two possible accidents might occur. The small satellite may fail to function or move away from the planned track. "We have contingency plans," he said.
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese taikonaut
Zhai Zhigang slipped out of the orbital module of Shenzhou-7 Saturday afternoon,
starting China's first spacewalk or extravehicular activity (EVA) in the outer
space. Full story
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In this video grab taken on Friday,
September 27, 2008 from China Central Television, Chinese astronaut Zhai
Zhigang waves as he conducts China's first spacewalk.
(Xinhua)
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The video grab taken on Sept. 27, 2008
at the Beijing Space Command and Control Center in Beijing, China, shows
Chinese taikonaut Zhai Zhigang checks the door of the orbital module. Zhai
Zhigang began the activities of China's first spacewalk on Saturday
afternoon. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)
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BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhou-7
mission leader Zhai Zhigang has been confirmed to perform a spacewalk, the
mission headquarters announced on Saturday afternoon. Full story
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The video grab taken on Sept. 26, 2008
at the Beijing Space Command and Control Center in Beijing, China, shows
the EVA (extra-vehicular activities) space suits. Two Chinese taikonauts
have moved from re-entry module of Shenzhou-7 spacecraft to its orbital
module, in preparations for China's first space walk. (Xinhua/Chen
Jianli)
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Chinese taikonauts Zhai Zhigang and Liu
Boming try their space suits in the orbit module of the Shenzhou-7
spacecraft, in this video grab taken on Sept. 26, 2008. The Shenzhou-7
spacecraft, which blasted off at 9:10 p.m. Thursday at the Jiuquan
Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Gansu Province, has
functioned well as planned. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)
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BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese
taikonauts have moved from re-entry module of Shenzhou-7 spacecraft to its
orbital module, starting preparations for China's first space walk.
Two crew members are testing the functions of the
control panels and charging the EVA (extra-vehicular activities) space
suit. Full story
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The three taikonauts on the
Shenzhou-7 spacecraft are in sound physical conditions and ready for the planned
spacewalk, the Beijing ground control center announced on Saturday. Full story
