China's Second Manned Space Flight To Blast Off In September

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-04zzzu.html


China's Second Manned Space Flight To Blast Off In September

Glory be our Shen Zhou

by Cindy Sui

Beijing (AFP) Dec 23, 2004
China's second manned space flight will blast off next September with two
astronauts circling the Earth for five days to reinforce the country's
status as a major space power, state media said Thursday.
"Shenzhou VI is scheduled to be launched in September next year," Huang
Chunping, chief commander of China's first manned spaceflight, was quoted as
saying by the Beijing News.
Officials had previously said the launch would be next autumn but had not
revealed the month.
Fourteen astronauts, including Yang Liwei who made China's maiden voyage on
the Shenzhou V in October last year, have undergone seven days of simulated
weightlessness and other exercises to accustom them to the design of the
spacecraft, reports said.
"Everything is going according to plan ... The training is very successful
and is first-rate," Yang told the Beijing Youth Daily.

"The astronauts will be able to complete their training duties on time and
meet the requirements to greet Shenzhou VI's launching next year."
Shenzhou VI will orbit the Earth for five days, unlike Yang's solo mission
which circled the globe for just 21 hours, the reports said.
The vehicle has a heavier capsule than Shenzhou V and can carry 200
kilograms (440 pounds) more weight, they said.
While Yang remained seated during the entire flight, the next astronauts
will leave the return capsule and enter the orbital capsule to conduct
scientific experiments.
The mission is set to cement China's place alongside the United States and
the former Soviet Union as the only nations to send men into orbit.
Despite its achievements, China remains excluded from the US-led partnership
in the International Space Station confined currently to Canada, Japan,
Russia, 11 nations of the European Space Agency and Brazil.
At a landmark meeting in Washington this month, China National Space
Administration chief Sun Laiyan held talks with National Aeronautical and
Space Administration (NASA) administrator Sean O'Keefe.
It was made clear that NASA was "constrained in its ability to discuss new
civil space cooperation until China addresses US weapons technology
proliferation concerns," said NASA spokeswoman Debra Rahn.
Analysts said they did not expect scientific breakthroughs from the new
mission despite its added complexities.
"It's a very long-term process. If you look at the American space program,
it started in the 1950s, 50 years later they are still developing it," said
Robert Karniol, Asia correspondent for Jane's Defense Weekly.
The main objective would be for China to gain further experience in its
march towards building a space station and achieving other space
capabilities, said Chen Lan, an independent Chinese analyst.
"There won't be much concrete results," said Chen. "There's a long road
ahead."
China, keenly aware of the military, scientific and commercial benefits of
space know-how, has been aggressively pursuing space exploration for decades
and has taken great leaps forward.
In addition to last year's manned flight, it has launched communication and
reconnaissance satellites and is developing its own global positioning
satellites.
Karniol said the manned space mission was integral to China's development of
more sophisticated satellite technology, partly for military use.
"China is trying to develop much more sophisticated satellites primarily
used for reconnaisance, or spying, and communication," he said.
Since its space program was set up in 1992 it has grown to employ tens of
thousands of scientific, manufacturing and planning personnel in more than
3,000 factories.
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Jacques :-)

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