Home>News Center>China
       
 

AP: Chinese crew starts space mission
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-12 08:25

Two years after China became only the third nation to launch a human into orbit, a pair of astronauts blasted off Wednesday on a longer, riskier mission after receiving a farewell visit from Premier Wen Jiabao.

Wen said the "glorious and sacred mission" would demonstrate China's national confidence and ability.

A rocket carrying the Shenzhou 6 capsule and the astronauts blasted off Wednesday from the remote base in China's northwest. The launch was shown live on Chinese state television.

The mission, reportedly due to last as long as five days, is a key prestige project for communist leaders, who have justified the expense of a manned space program by saying it will drive economic development.

It also will be more complicated than the 2003 flight, which lasted just 21 1/2 hours. Xinhua said the two astronauts, or "taikonauts," will take off their 22-pound spacesuits to travel back and forth between the two halves of their vessel — a re-entry capsule and an orbiter that will stay aloft after they land.

Just hours before liftoff, Xinhua announced the identities of the two taikonauts — Fei Junlong and Nie Haishen. It did not elaborate, but previous reports said 14 former fighter pilots were training for the mission.

Xinhua said the crew was picked from a field of six finalists. Nie was one of three finalists for the 2003 mission, which made a national hero of Yang Liwei.

The two taikonauts will conduct experiments in orbit, Xinhua said without elaborating.

China, the third nation to put a man into orbit, insisted ahead of the launch that its aspirations in space were strictly peaceful and that it opposes deploying weapons there. Space officials say they hope to land an unmanned probe on the moon by 2010 and launch a space station.

"We do not wish to see any form of weapons in outer space, so we reaffirm that our space flight program is an important element of mankind's peaceful utilization of outer space," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said.

The live broadcast of the flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center was to begin at about 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday. Earlier reports said the liftoff and space flight would be shown on Chinese television with a brief delay, possibly to allow authorities to cut the signal if anything goes wrong.

None of the 2003 space flight was shown live by Chinese television.

Foreign reporters were barred from the launch base. A handful of Chinese journalists were to be on hand for the liftoff but were warned they might be ordered to hand over any photos or video — a possible image-control measure in case of an accident.

The Shenzhou — or Divine Vessel — capsule is based on Russia's three-seat Soyuz, though with extensive modifications. Spacesuits, life-support systems and other equipment are based on technology purchased from Russia.

But space officials say all equipment launched into orbit is Chinese-made.

China has had a rocketry program since the 1950s and fired its first satellite into orbit in 1970. It regularly launches satellites for foreign clients aboard its giant Long March boosters.



Shenzhou VI blasts off into sky
Celebrating Chongyang Festival
Astronauts for Shenzhou VI to be selected
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

Second manned spacecraft successfully takes off

 

   
 

AP: Chinese crew starts space mission

 

   
 

Reuters: Countdown to 2nd manned space trip

 

   
 

AFP: Chinese astronauts board craft

 

   
 

CPC sets blueprint for next five years

 

   
 

Chinese rescuers in Pakistan offer hope

 

   
  Many ministries misused funds, report says
   
  China approves new five-year economic plan
   
  Premier: We'll do our best to help
   
  National standards for disposable chopsticks issued
   
  Snow urges China for more action on yuan
   
  Nuke power firm plans project in Hainan
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲欧美日韩在线一区二区三区| 国产人久久人人人人爽| mm1313亚洲国产精品美女| 日本vs黑人hd| 久久这里精品国产99丫e6| 欧美性大战xxxxx久久久| 人人爽人人爽人人爽人人片av| 老司机67194精品线观看| 国产在线果冻传媒在线观看| xxxxx日本人| 国产老买老妇bbb| 99精品久久99久久久久| 宝贝过来趴好张开腿让我看看 | 日本精品a在线| 亚洲av无码一区二区三区电影| 欧美精品一区二区三区久久 | 国产日本在线观看| 在线观看精品视频看看播放| 在线a亚洲视频播放在线观看| www.henhencao.com| 奇米影视国产精品四色| 性猛交xxxxx按摩中国| 中文无码AV一区二区三区| 日本高清va在线播放| 久久青青草原综合伊人| 欧美bbbbxxxx| 亚洲免费人成在线视频观看| 欲惑美妇老师泛滥春情在线播放| 人妻av综合天堂一区| 相泽南亚洲一区二区在线播放| 又粗又长又硬太爽了视频快来 | 嫩草影院在线观看精品视频| 中文在线а√天堂| 无码人妻精品一区二区三区不卡| 久久人人爽人人爽人人av东京热 | 国内大量揄拍人妻精品視頻| 99亚洲精品视频| 在线观看福利网站| 99久久香蕉国产线看观香| 在线观看国产91| 97色精品视频在线观看|