China’s fourth manned space flight ended with a jarring touchdown in Inner Mongolia after a successful flight to test docking procedures and techniques needed for building a Mir-class space station later this decade. China’s Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, carrying two men and the first Chinese woman to fly in space, returned to Earth on Friday after an ambitious flight to a prototype space station module, plunging back into the atmosphere and descending under a large parachute to a jarring touchdown in Inner Mongolia. The re-entry was carried live on Chinese television, with commentary, shots of the crew in the cramped decent module and views of the spacecraft’s fiery re-entry plume as it streaked across the sky on a steep northeasterly descent toward the landing zone Continue reading
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China 'one step closer' to constructing space station
A trio of Chinese astronauts, including the country’s first woman in space, successfully docked with an orbiting test module. Chinese astronauts docked two spaceships in orbit for the first time Monday (June 18), marking a vital milestone in the country’s quest to build a manned space station in Earth orbit. The three-person crew of theShenzhou 9 spacecraft, which includes the China’s first female astronaut, arrived at the country’s Tiangong 1(“Heavenly Palace”) test module in orbit and joined the two craft to complete the successful docking. Continue reading
China sending its first female astronaut to temporary space base
JIUQUAN, China China will send its first woman and two other astronauts into space Saturday to work on a temporary space station for about a week, in a key step toward becoming only the third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit. Liu Yang, a 34-year-old air force pilot, and two male colleagues will be launched Saturday aboard the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, which will dock with the bus-sized Tiangong 1 space module now orbiting at 343 kilometers (213 miles) above the Earth. “Arranging for women astronauts to fly is not only a must for the development of human spaceflight, but also the expectation of the public,” space program spokeswoman Wu Ping said. Continue reading
China Set for Manned Mission to Tiangong-1 Module
China may be just days away from launching its first manned docking mission to the country’s Tiangong-1 space station module, according to reports. A Shenzou-9 spacecraft atop a Long March-2F rocket was moved on Saturday to a launch platform at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China in preparation for a mid-June launch, Chinese space agency officials said over the weekend. Continue reading
Shenzhou 9: China's 1st Manned Space Docking Mission (Pictures)
Shenzhou 9 Spaceship at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center A Chinese Long March 2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft rolls out to the launch pad at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on June 9, 2012. The Shenzhou 9 mission will launch three astronauts on China’s first manned space docking flight. Continue reading