China's Shenzhou VII spacecraft flown to launch center for October takeoff(1)

2008-07-13 00:17:36 [ Big Normal Small ]    　Comment

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China's third manned spaceship, Shenzhou VII, set to launch in October, reached the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern Gansu Province on Thursday, a source with the launch center said.

The spacecraft was transported to the launch center by air from Beijing early on Thursday morning, the source said, adding the move marked the start of the Shenzhou VII launch mission.

He said the spacecraft would be assembled at the launch center after experts finish examining its air tightness and electric properties, as well as conducting a series of other tests.

The experts had already run two rounds of tests on more than 5,000 pieces of equipment at the launch center to ensure reliability and the safety of the ground facilities.

The launch center has organized trainings of test launch, observation and control communication, and technical support to ensure the successful launch of the Shenzhou VII.

China successfully put two manned spacecraft into orbit in 2003and 2005 respectively. Shenzhou VII was expected to be launched in October, although the exact date was not available.

Earlier reports said a crew of six astronauts had been chosen for the mission, with three manning the spacecraft and three substitutes.

Compared with Shenzhou VI, China's second manned space mission with a crew of two, Shenzhou VII has more stringent technological requirements: one of its three astronauts is scheduled to conduct a space walk.

China launched a new space tracking ship on April 12 to serve the Shenzhou VII spacewalk mission.

The new space tracking ship was the sister ship of the Yuanwang-5, which was put into use in September. The two vessels would play a key role in the Shenzhou VII mission.

Shenzhou VII ready for final test 

Chinese astronauts practice manoeuvring in a water tank designed to simulate the low-gravity environment of space.(Xinhua File Photo)
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  BEIJING, July 2 -- The team that developed Shenzhou VII, China's third manned spacecraft, will begin the final test at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province in a few days.

  Zhang Bainan, chief designer of the spacecraft, said on Tuesday that the research and development team of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) will leave for Jiuquan early this month. Full story

China's 1st spacewalk mission to launch in October

  BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou VII manned space mission, which will include the first spacewalk by a Chinese "taikonaut," is to launch in October, said a spokesman of the China manned space engineering office here on Thursday.

He would not give the exact date of the launch, but said a day would be selected in October. Full story

Space mission equipment passes test

A virtual image of an astronaut spacewalking outside the Shenzhou VII spaceship. (Photo: Chinadaily.com, File Photo)
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BEIJING, Feb. 21 -- An airlock module for the Shenzhou VII spaceship and an extravehicular spacesuit - key elements of China's first spacewalk mission scheduled for later this year - have passed initial ground tests, a top scientist said yesterday.

"Both the airlock module and the extravehicular spacesuit passed the tests, which simulated the zero-gravity environment of space," Yang Baohua, head of the China Academy of Space Technology, said. Full story  

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