Jenya
10-10-2003, 03:46 PM
China Confirms Space Flight Set For Next Week!
Friday October 10, 2003
Associated Press
Beijing — Chinese government confirms first manned spaceflight to be launched next week between Wednesday and Friday “at a proper time.”
The spacecraft, the Shenzhou 5, will orbit the Earth 14 times before landing at a “pre-selected area,” the official Xinhua News Agency said.
“China plans to launch its first manned spaceflight at a proper time between Oct. 15 and 17, said an official in charge of the country's manned spaceflight program on Friday,” Xinhua said in a statement it labelled a “bulletin.”
A successful launch would make China the third country in the world to put a human being into space. The former Soviet Union put Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961; the United States sent Alan Shepard up less than a month later.
“Now all preparatory work for the launch is progressing smoothly,” Xinhua quoted an unnamed space-program official as saying.
The government has not announced the identity of the space traveller, and the Xinhua dispatches did not specify how many astronauts, or “taikonauts,” the craft would contain.
The government said the Shenzhou 5 would fly on an elliptical orbit with the orbital inclination angle of 42.4 degrees. It will then shift to a circular orbit at an altitude of 343 kilometres.
All would-be taikonauts — an English nickname based on the Chinese word for “space” — have passed “a comprehensive drill,” Xinhua said.
The launch is scheduled to take place shortly after a major Communist party meeting, suggesting an attempt to link the party's leadership with one of the most patriotism-drenched events in recent Chinese history.
The first Chinese in orbit is certain to become a hero at home; China's space program has long been a closely guarded secret but also a vehicle for patriotism.
The English-language China Daily newspaper said a field of 14 trainees has been narrowed. While the three candidates have been ranked in order of preference, outside factors could still affect the final choice.
On Friday, the popular Sina.com Web site reported that handguns, knives and other “defensive weapons” will be stored aboard the capsule as a precaution against landing in hostile environs.
Astronauts “will be able to deal with wild beasts, sharks and other dangerous animals or enemies,” it reported.
State media have reported the Shenzhou 5 capsule will blast into space aboard a Long March CZ-2 rocket from the Gobi Desert launch base at Jiuquan in western China. Media have heaped praise on the expected event as a sign of China's growing strength and modernity and while public interest is difficult to gauge, it seems that interest is growing.
Sina.com said the craft would blast off during daylight and would return to earth by 6 p.m., local time Thursday, using its enormous parachutes to set down on the plains of Inner Mongolia.
The astronauts have been described as experienced fighter pilots, about 170 centimetres tall and weighing about 65 kilograms.
China Daily said they include 12 trainees and two instructors, all of whom have had a minimum of six years of special training.
In recent years, China has launched four unmanned missions as preparation for taking a human aboard the Shenzhou 5, whose name means “Divine Vessel.”
With space fever rising, one newspaper in southwestern China is asking readers for suggestions on what the first Chinese astronaut in space should say. The Chengdu Business News said it would pick the 10 best entries and send the contestants to the Jiuquan Launch Centre in the northwestern province of Gansu to witness the launch.
It was impossible to verify the promised prize. However, the notion of 10 random people sent by a provincial newspaper being permitted to attend the launch of a military-linked space capsule in person seems somewhat unlikely.
Emphasizing the space program's strong ties to the military, army music and dance teams are producing a music video entitled Soaring to commemorate Shenzhou's launch, the Communist party's official People's Daily reported.
“'Soaring' will act out the romantic feelings and pioneering spirit of the 1,000-year quest of the sons and daughters of China,” said a brief article beside a picture of an actress in a shiny, form-fitting body suit with the Chinese flag emblazoned on her chest.
Friday October 10, 2003
Associated Press
Beijing — Chinese government confirms first manned spaceflight to be launched next week between Wednesday and Friday “at a proper time.”
The spacecraft, the Shenzhou 5, will orbit the Earth 14 times before landing at a “pre-selected area,” the official Xinhua News Agency said.
“China plans to launch its first manned spaceflight at a proper time between Oct. 15 and 17, said an official in charge of the country's manned spaceflight program on Friday,” Xinhua said in a statement it labelled a “bulletin.”
A successful launch would make China the third country in the world to put a human being into space. The former Soviet Union put Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961; the United States sent Alan Shepard up less than a month later.
“Now all preparatory work for the launch is progressing smoothly,” Xinhua quoted an unnamed space-program official as saying.
The government has not announced the identity of the space traveller, and the Xinhua dispatches did not specify how many astronauts, or “taikonauts,” the craft would contain.
The government said the Shenzhou 5 would fly on an elliptical orbit with the orbital inclination angle of 42.4 degrees. It will then shift to a circular orbit at an altitude of 343 kilometres.
All would-be taikonauts — an English nickname based on the Chinese word for “space” — have passed “a comprehensive drill,” Xinhua said.
The launch is scheduled to take place shortly after a major Communist party meeting, suggesting an attempt to link the party's leadership with one of the most patriotism-drenched events in recent Chinese history.
The first Chinese in orbit is certain to become a hero at home; China's space program has long been a closely guarded secret but also a vehicle for patriotism.
The English-language China Daily newspaper said a field of 14 trainees has been narrowed. While the three candidates have been ranked in order of preference, outside factors could still affect the final choice.
On Friday, the popular Sina.com Web site reported that handguns, knives and other “defensive weapons” will be stored aboard the capsule as a precaution against landing in hostile environs.
Astronauts “will be able to deal with wild beasts, sharks and other dangerous animals or enemies,” it reported.
State media have reported the Shenzhou 5 capsule will blast into space aboard a Long March CZ-2 rocket from the Gobi Desert launch base at Jiuquan in western China. Media have heaped praise on the expected event as a sign of China's growing strength and modernity and while public interest is difficult to gauge, it seems that interest is growing.
Sina.com said the craft would blast off during daylight and would return to earth by 6 p.m., local time Thursday, using its enormous parachutes to set down on the plains of Inner Mongolia.
The astronauts have been described as experienced fighter pilots, about 170 centimetres tall and weighing about 65 kilograms.
China Daily said they include 12 trainees and two instructors, all of whom have had a minimum of six years of special training.
In recent years, China has launched four unmanned missions as preparation for taking a human aboard the Shenzhou 5, whose name means “Divine Vessel.”
With space fever rising, one newspaper in southwestern China is asking readers for suggestions on what the first Chinese astronaut in space should say. The Chengdu Business News said it would pick the 10 best entries and send the contestants to the Jiuquan Launch Centre in the northwestern province of Gansu to witness the launch.
It was impossible to verify the promised prize. However, the notion of 10 random people sent by a provincial newspaper being permitted to attend the launch of a military-linked space capsule in person seems somewhat unlikely.
Emphasizing the space program's strong ties to the military, army music and dance teams are producing a music video entitled Soaring to commemorate Shenzhou's launch, the Communist party's official People's Daily reported.
“'Soaring' will act out the romantic feelings and pioneering spirit of the 1,000-year quest of the sons and daughters of China,” said a brief article beside a picture of an actress in a shiny, form-fitting body suit with the Chinese flag emblazoned on her chest.