posted 05-12-2004 02:09 PM               

China plans to launch a pair of astronauts into orbit in autumn 2005 in its second manned space mission, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday.

The flight will last five to seven days, Xinhua said, citing Qi Faren, the space program's chief designer.

posted 07-28-2004 01:02 PM            

Huang Chunping, chief of the China Manned Space Program's rocket carrier system, added China would realise its dream of space walk with the launch of Shenzhou VII, although he did not specify a date, Xinhua news agency reported.

posted 10-11-2005 08:16 PM               

China's second manned spacecraft, the Shenzhou-VI with astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng onboard, was lifted into the sky by a Long March II F carrier rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Gansu Province at 09:00 (local time) Oct 12, 2005.

posted 10-11-2005 10:44 PM               

"As a member of the Association of Space Explorers and a three-time space flyer, I am absolutely convinced that the more human presence there is in orbital space and beyond, the better for all humanity in understanding our place in a very limited one planet environment. We're all crew members in spaceship Earth. We've got to get that awareness into the minds of not only the people, but government officials around the world. So, more nations involved is better from that standpoint.

"I am sure it is going to stimulate economic and maybe even political interest and maybe even some contention about the prospect of another nation in human space flight, but I think it should be viewed as, if anything, a positive tension - if its a tension at all - but again I applaud the Chinese government for both the committment and capability to do so.

"We have to look forward to a successful launch and a succesful return of any and all taikonauts and Chinese flyers to space and back again."

posted 10-12-2005 08:13 AM            

We saw the two taikonauts dressed in the flight suits parading through the small snow storm at the space centre enroute to the launch vehicle.

We saw the vehicle on pad and then the mission control centre in last few seconds of countdown - consoles labeled in Chinese as you would imagine!

Then we saw the liftoff and several exterior tv camera shots looking down the rocket body towards earth.

We saw what I think was Shenzhou VI a short distance away taken from a camera on the last (?) stage of rocket.

posted 10-12-2005 08:28 AM            

Shenzhou-6 spacecraft, China's second manned space mission and first to send two astronauts into orbit, is the first to carry a Chinese language newspaper to space.

A special issue commemorating Shenzhou-6 space flight of Shanghai-based Jiefang Daily, one of China's leading newspapers, is also possible the first newspaper send to space by mankind, according to professional search results.

The special issue carries the essay of On Earth, printed by Jiefang Daily's predecessor Shenbao 100 years ago, the first on astronomy ever present by a Chinese newspaper.

Theories in the essay are recorded in ancient Chinese books, indicating the Chinese exploration of the space thousands of years ago, and sending the special issue into space is designed to marking the long history of space quest, said Yin Minghua, president of the Jiefang Daily Group.

The newspaper is made of silk, a first-class writing material in ancient China, to better keep its color and quality. Carried by China's most technologically advanced Shenzhou-6 capsule, it also symbolizes Chinese heritage of their long civilization.

The 50-gram paper is put in the re-entry module. It is not certain whether the two astronauts aboard will read it in space.

Also sent into the space are four embroidery pieces featuring signs of China's second manned space flight and Chinese astronaut center, a painting of Chairman Mao Zedong announcing the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and a Chinese character of "Fu" or happiness.

The first three pieces will be used for scientific research after the craft returns. Each of the four weighs no more than 200 grams.

posted 10-12-2005 04:41 PM               

"Taikong" is a Chinese word that means space or cosmos. The resulted prefix "taiko-" is similar to "astro-" and "cosmo-" that makes three words perfectly symmetric, both in meaning and in form. Removing "g" from "taikong" is to make the word short and easy to pronounce. On the other side, its pronounciation is also close to "taikong ren", the Chinese words "space men".

posted 10-13-2005 09:44 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
From the website Go Taikonauts! (which is currently offline due to the demand for SZ-6 information): In Chinese, the term yuhangyuan ("space navigator") has long been used as well.

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posted 10-14-2005 01:23 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by the_tartanterror:
I am on the nightshift in Flight Ops and I just caught the end of a news snippet on BBC radio which said that Shenzhou 6 has a problem with its orbit.

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With the 'slippage in orbit' earlier - which they corrected - maybe they have a onboard G&N problem? They have told the MCC 'scientific and technological' staff to proceed with 'caution'.

Not sure how they corrected the orbit problem (maybe RCS jets?). I can't see that a service module main engine under-power or early cutoff problem would make them issue 'caution' warning. But a faulty G&N unit might make them err on the safe side - staying on orbit until a decent window for descent becomes possible and bring them down earlier? Some reports have said that the day early return would be because of trying to avoid possible bad weather conditions if it went for full mission and for the crew "well being"?

posted 10-15-2005 01:20 PM            

"The motherland and people are proud of you. I hope you will successfully complete your task by carrying out the mission calmly and carefully and have a triumphant return," he said.

Fei thanked the president for his concern and the support of the people and said "we will definitely fulfill the mission completely."

After the dialogue, Hu made a brief speech at the command and control center, urging the scientists at the center to ensure the two taikonauts aboard Shenzhou-6 spacecraft return soundly.

The president expressed the hope that space workers make persistent efforts to do a good follow-up job, so as to ensure the safe and smooth return of the re-entry module with the two taikonauts aboard.

Reading between the lines (which can be 'dangerous'!) whatever problem they had they may have overcome but looks like it may have caused a few flutters?

Hu's words like "...urging the scientists at the center to ensure..." and "...space workers make persistent efforts to do a good follow-up job..." may be indicating the 'problem' may have been seen as serious earlier before they have overcome it?

Also Fei's reply thanking Hu for his concern
and "...we will definitely fulfill the mission completely." ...might suggest that the problem was deemed very serious at the time but that it has now been overcome?

Another news report noted that they had undertaken half dozen or more capsule recovery trial runs in the prime and secondary landing areas to "retrieve" the taikonauts safely and speedily.

posted 10-15-2005 11:28 PM            

If two dazed Chinese astronauts drop from space into the Australian outback this weekend, it will trigger an espionage plot worthy of an airport novel.

China's intelligence agencies have drawn up plans to thwart over-eager ASIO officers in the event that the Shenzhou VI space capsule crashes into the dust of the Australian desert.

Fearful that local rescue personnel and ASIO spies may arrive at the crash scene first, and take an unhealthy interest in the spacecraft's rocket technology, Beijing has moved to make its space capsule burglar-proof.

In a solution that any home insurance company would applaud, the Chinese have created a special key to unlock the spacecraft and have chosen not to give a copy to Australia.

Instead, the secret key is resting in the safe hands of an unnamed Chinese military attache at the Chinese embassy in Canberra.

In the event of a crash-landing, that Chinese official will be rushed into the desert, key in hand, to ensure that no one else unlocks China's secrets of rocket science.