China's Space Program News Thread

Re: china manned space - news and views

bd popeye said:

Here's a link to some excellent photos of the launch of Shenzhou 7:china: Go China! :china:

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I watched this on bloomberg TV this morning, not too interesting, but still very exciting stuff for me. They have all these articles about Asian space race online now.

Re: china manned space - news and views

^ Not surprised at all to see "Asian space race" articles, theyve been going around since China first sent man into space, more so everytime China sends up a mission. But if this whole thing ever turns out to be a "race", China is winning by 2 massive steps...as India and Japan still cant get their astronauts up there, while China is about to do its space walk.

Re: china manned space - news and views

Challenging the outer space...in a moment...





Chinese taikonauts prepare for spacewalk in orbital module


2008-09-27 12:08:00 Print

Special Report: Third Manned Space Mission

Backgrounder: Chinese footprints in outer space

Facts and Figures: Shenzhou-7 spacecraft

Ground control: Taikonauts in sound physical conditions

BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese taikonauts have moved from re-entry module of Shenzhou-7 spacecraft to its orbital module, starting preparations for China's first space walk.

Two crew members are testing the functions of the control panels and charging the EVA (extra-vehicular activities) space suit.

After re-entry module hatch to be closed behind them, the taikonauts will put on extravehicular activity (EVA) space suits.

The two space suits, one 4-million-U.S. dollar China-made Feitian EVA suit and one Russia-imported Orlan suit, were assembled and tested on Friday.

The three taikonauts on the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft are in sound physical conditions, the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) announced on Saturday noon. Their body temperatures and blood pressures are normal and there were no report of malaises, it said.

The taikonauts, headed by Zhai Zhigang, assisted each other in the medical check, which is the third and final check before the space walk, scheduled at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The orbital module will be depressurized before one taikonaut opened the hatch and enter the outer space.

The planned space walk is expected to last for 30 minutes, during which the spacewalker will walk along a preset route and another taikonaut will stay in the orbital module for technical assistance. The third remains in the re-entry module.

Wang Zhaoyao, spokesperson with the manned space program, said the exact duration of the space walk, which will be live broadcasted, might be adjusted according to the physical condition of the taikonaut.

Once successful, China will become the third to master the EVA technology following the United States and Russia.

Besides spacewalking, the taikonaut will fetch a test sample placed on the exterior surface of the orbital module, according to Wang.

The Shenzhou-7 spacecraft took off from Jiuquan at 9:10 p.m. on Thursday, and is scheduled to land on the Inner Mongolia steppe on Sunday.





Editor: Wang Hongjiang

Re: china manned space - news and views

they did the space walk for 15 minutes, less than the 20 minutes expected. You can see the video on CNN. Not too exciting, but what do you expect.

Re: china manned space - news and views

What is unique is that each of the milestones have been made in jumps.

They could have done more testing on the new chinese spacesuit in the confines of the orbital module for this mission, for example, and leave out the spacewalk for a later mission.

Here is a pictures mosaic of the spacewalk.

Re: china manned space - news and views

Quickie, that picture wasn't taken against a blue screen - was it?

Hope they have a safe return.

Re: china manned space - news and views

The next Generation NASA Manned space Veicle after the expansive and unsafe Space shuttles which will be retired at 2010 will be similer to the Russian/ Chinese Soyuz/ Shenzhou model, The Orion Veicle. Using parachute instead of Gliding back to earth, although it will be able to carry more Astronaut than even the Shenzhou and the reentry viecle might be made reusable.
It will also have a extra space working modul just like Shenzhou, Russian Soyuz however, doesn't have that.

I stil remember alot of ppl called the Soyuz/Shenzhou model of viecle obsolete when Shenzhou was first launched, and claimed Space shuttle model was like 50years ahead, well.........

Ares 5 rocket is impressive though, when it comes out at 2020 if successful, 130 tonne weight carrying!

With the exception of the unsuccessful Russian N1, American Ares 1(Dev. expect to finish @ 2012), Delta V and Chinese CZ5(Dev. expect to finish @ 2013) will be the most powerful rocket to be devloped in the world untill Ares 5 is out, both can carry 25tonne of weight to Low orbit earth, both rockets are even more powerful than the Saturn V rocket that made NASA moon landing program possible, this means if chinese really want china could send a manned landing on the moon before 2015, but china doesn't have a manned moon program for the time being.

-Other possible competitor in the space program is Russian, which still have the safest and most reliable space launch rockets in te world with a track record unmatched by even the USA.
-ESA, the europeans still doesn't have a maned program,Ariane 5 is a nice rocket, not any powerful as the new Chinese and american rockets, but enough to send a man to space.
-The Japanese Program, H1 and H2 rocket are almost in same class as EU Ariane 5, but it have hade one failure after another in recent years, they need to sort out this and show some confidence before any manned program will be initiated.
-The Indian program, well Indian program is quite ambitious, but thier rocket system is far and I mean FAR from on pair with the rest of the league for the time being, even with all the Russian and european help thier got, it will take years, but let's see.

Re: china manned space - news and views

tphuang said:

they did the space walk for 15 minutes, less than the 20 minutes expected. You can see the video on CNN. Not too exciting, but what do you expect.

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Yeah, fully aware of your implication.
But, Did anyone ever expect or urge you to be "too exciting"?

Re: china manned space - news and views

Thought I'd come to this forum today to say congratulations to China on the successful EVA. Looked Great!

Re: china manned space - news and views

tphuang said:

they did the space walk for 15 minutes, less than the 20 minutes expected. You can see the video on CNN. Not too exciting, but what do you expect.

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I actually disagree. I thought the video was a lot of fun and quite moving. The fully loaded Chinese astronaut suit looked very modern and not like something from the sixties. The actually time was about 18 minutes according to the NYTimes.