Special Report: Third Manned Space Mission
Backgrounder: Chinese
footprints in outer space
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- China will start the
second round of astronauts selection to replenish a more demanding mission that
will complete orbiter docking, said Deng Yibing, chief engineer of the astronaut
training center on Saturday.
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The video grab taken on Sept. 27, 2008
in Beijing, China, shows Chinese taikonaut Zhai Zhigang is outside the
orbital module. (Xinhua Photo) |
The selection will start after the Shenzhou-7 mission
ends, which accomplished China's first spacewalk Saturday afternoon. Excellent
candidates from the fresh team may be involved in the Shenzhou-10 mission, which
will seek a breakthrough in the orbiter docking technology, a more demanding
job, Deng told reporters in the news center of the Shenzhou-7 manned space
program.
China picked the first batch of 14 astronauts in 1998
in preparation for the country's manned space flights. The country sent its
first man into space in 2003 in the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft. Two years later, two
men orbited the earth in Shenzhou-6. The current Shenzhou-7 mission carried
three astronauts.
Some of the first 14 astronauts are still capable of
fulfilling the Shenzhou-10 mission as their ages and skills will not be a
problem," said Deng.
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The video grab taken on Sept. 27, 2008
in Beijing, China, shows Chinese taikonaut Zhai Zhigang waves after
opening the door of the orbital module. (Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
But some of them will have to retire because of age,
said Huang Weifen, deputy designer of Shenzhou-7's astronaut system, on
Saturday. The retired astronauts will join the training programs or the
management team, according to Deng.
To master the orbiter docking technology, China's
second step before the ultimate goal of building a permanent space station, is a
very complicated job, and has higher demands on astronauts, Deng said.
As the docking has to be partly assisted by manual
operation of astronauts, Deng said, they should be selected "very cautiously"
and they have to go through "rigorous" training to qualify the mission.
The docking technology will first be tested on the
unmanned Shenzhou-8 and Shenzhou-9 spacecraft. The manned mission will be
launched if everything goes well, said Li Yuqing, a consultant of the spacecraft
system of the Shenzhou-7 mission.
Aerospace expert may also have the chance to fly
aboard Shenzhou-10, and the physical requirement for them will be less tougher
than that for astronauts, said Huang Weifen.
Taikonaut "walks" 9,165 kilometers in
China's maiden spacewalk
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's first spacewalker
Zhai Zhigang "walked" a total length of 9,165 kilometers in space during the
country's maiden extra-vehicular activity which lasted about 20 minutes Saturday
afternoon, according to experts' calculation. Full story
China's first
spacewalker
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Although
enclosed in a bulky spacesuit with face covered, Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang
is becoming a familiar figure to all Chinese as a history maker.
Zhai's 20-minute stay in outer space was witnessed by
millions of Chinese on the earth through live broadcast on Saturday afternoon.
Full story
China's first spacewalk attracts world
attention
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese taikonauts completed
the country's first spacewalk Saturday, a feat that immediately became the focus
of attention around the world. Full story
Chinese taikonaut greets nation, world
in first spacewalk
BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Taikonaut Zhai
Zhigang completed a spacewalk Saturday afternoon, marking a historic
breakthrough in the country's ambitious space program, which will eventually
lead to the establishment of a permanent space station. Full story
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