Shenzhou V

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/3180618.stm

"China has confirmed that it will launch its first manned space
mission between 15 and 17 October, the official Xinhua news agency has
reported.
"The Shenzhou 5 spacecraft will orbit the earth 14 times before
landing at a "pre-selected area", an unnamed space official told the
agency."

Other tidbits:

"But the state-run China Daily newspaper said on Friday that three
candidates had now been short-listed, out of which one would actually go
into space."

So, it's one crew...

"A report in the Jiefang Daily said the spacecraft was likely to be
launched during the daytime and carried by a Long March-II F rocket."

....and a day launch. Okay, the last bit was expected.

"Media reports say that all the candidates are 1.70 metres tall and
weigh 65 kilograms, and have received six years of special training."

Six years of training would suggest the group that went to Russia, but
there were only two of those... hmm. Possibly a little more evidence in
favour of Li Qinglong? I dunno.

Anyway, a couple of interesting details there, don't know if you've seen
them before.

--
-Andrew Gray

Thanks, Andrew -- I'm putting a lot of stuff on my home page
www.jamesoberg.com.

Note that the 9 AM Beijing time (01:00 GMT) launch gives pre-dawn visual
passes across the 35 to 40 deg N latitude band -- it's possible that a lot
of visual sat trackers will actually SEE the bird.

Andrew Gray wrote:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/3180618.stm

"China has confirmed that it will launch its first manned space
mission between 15 and 17 October, the official Xinhua news agency has
reported.
"The Shenzhou 5 spacecraft will orbit the earth 14 times before
landing at a "pre-selected area", an unnamed space official told the
agency."

For reference (my acronyms)
CMC = Chinese Mission Director at Mission Control
TAI = Taikonaut
ANN = Announcer

ANN: And now, the mission completed, we have word the parachutes are
open and Shenzhou 5 should be landing any minute now. Let's listen in...
CMC: Shenzhou 5, how are your conditions?
TAI: I am fine, all is well.
CMC: And are you on target to land in the "pre-selected area".
TAI: That is correct. In fact...ooommf...I just landed in the
"pre-selected area."
CMC: Very well. The country is proud. And how are conditions at the
"pre-selected area."
TAI: OK fine. No need for knife. No need for gun.
CMC: Good to hear. Now, we must test your knowledge. What are the
coordinates of the "pre-selected area"?
TAI: (relays coordinates)
CMC: (looking at map) Yes...yes. You are correct. That is what we
have too. The country is proud.
ANN: And there you have it. A successful touch down in the
"pre-selected area" of...let's see...ahh yes...Minnesota.


[snip]

In article , OM wrote:
On 10 Oct 2003 14:01:46 GMT, Andrew Gray
wrote:

Six years of training would suggest the group that went to Russia, but
there were only two of those... hmm. Possibly a little more evidence in
favour of Li Qinglong? I dunno.

...What the **** happened to Chen Long in all this? Ever since he was
fingered as the prime pilot candidate, he's disappeared off the map.

I was always put under the impression that CL was LQ, just somewhat
mistransliterated... ICBW, of course. Jim, interpreting weird furrin
things is your speciality, any comment?

--
-Andrew Gray

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:47:58 GMT, stmx3
wrote:

ANN: And now, the mission completed, we have word the parachutes are
open and Shenzhou 5 should be landing any minute now. Let's listen in...

....Nonono, that's "Ret's rissen in..."


OM

--

"No ******* ever won a war by dying for | http://www.io.com/~o_m
his country. He won it by making the other | Sergeant-At-Arms
poor dumb ******* die for his country." | Human O-Ring Society

- General George S. Patton, Jr

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 14:45:42 GMT, "James Oberg"
wrote:

Thanks, Andrew -- I'm putting a lot of stuff on my home page
www.jamesoberg.com.

Note that the 9 AM Beijing time (01:00 GMT) launch gives pre-dawn visual
passes across the 35 to 40 deg N latitude band -- it's possible that a lot
of visual sat trackers will actually SEE the bird.

....Jim, would you tell the dips at M$NBC to list times in either EST
or CST, so that those of us who are brain dead from their flu
medication can tell when they need to be outside trying to see it fly
over? For that matter, do we have any revised orbital track
guesstimates now that we've a better clue where the launch facility
really is?

OM

--

"No ******* ever won a war by dying for | http://www.io.com/~o_m
his country. He won it by making the other | Sergeant-At-Arms
poor dumb ******* die for his country." | Human O-Ring Society

- General George S. Patton, Jr

On 10 Oct 2003 14:01:46 GMT, Andrew Gray
wrote:

Six years of training would suggest the group that went to Russia, but
there were only two of those... hmm. Possibly a little more evidence in
favour of Li Qinglong? I dunno.

....What the **** happened to Chen Long in all this? Ever since he was
fingered as the prime pilot candidate, he's disappeared off the map.

OM

--

"No ******* ever won a war by dying for | http://www.io.com/~o_m
his country. He won it by making the other | Sergeant-At-Arms
poor dumb ******* die for his country." | Human O-Ring Society

- General George S. Patton, Jr

In article , James Oberg wrote:

Thanks, Andrew -- I'm putting a lot of stuff on my home page
www.jamesoberg.com.

Any chance of an "idiot summary" of what's been released so far? You've
probably collated more information than the rest of us... go on, you
know you want to ;-)

Note that the 9 AM Beijing time (01:00 GMT) launch gives pre-dawn visual
passes across the 35 to 40 deg N latitude band -- it's possible that a lot
of visual sat trackers will actually SEE the bird.

42.4deg... hmm. How far north do you think it'll be theoretically
visible?

--
-Andrew Gray

"OM" om@our_blessed_lady_mary_of_the_holy_NASA_researc h_facility.org wrote
in message
...Jim, would you tell the dips at M$NBC to list times in either EST
or CST, so that those of us who are brain dead from their flu
medication can tell when they need to be outside trying to see it fly
over?

Would EDT or CDT be better for you?

OM wrote:
...Jim, would you tell the dips at M$NBC to list times in either EST
or CST, so that those of us who are brain dead from their flu
medication can tell when they need to be outside trying to see it fly
over? For that matter, do we have any revised orbital track
guesstimates now that we've a better clue where the launch facility
really is?

frankly - i LIKE the referals to UT (formerly GMT) in msnbs news -
makes things a lot easier for those, who do not live in continental US
... there ARE people over here :-)

servus

markus