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#China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft returns to Earth
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Jun 29, 2012, 10:45:59 AM6/29/12
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/29/china-shenzhou-9-returns-earth
China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft returns to Earth
Space capsule landed in China's north-western Inner Mongolia region with
its three-member crew after a 13-day mission
Reuters in Beijing
guardian.co.uk, Friday 29 June 2012 00.28 EDT
After a 13-day mission, China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft lands in Inner
Mongolia Link to this video
China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft returned to Earth on Friday, ending a
mission that put the country's first woman in space, and completed a
manned docking test critical to its goal of building a space station by
2020.
The spacecraft's gumdrop-shaped return capsule descended to earth by
parachute and touched down shortly after 10am (2am BST) in China's north-
west Inner Mongolia region with its three-member crew, including female
astronaut Liu Yang.
Beijing has hailed the nearly two-week mission as a technical
breakthrough for the country's growing space programme. The launch,
landing and docking exercises with the experimental Tiangong 1 space lab
module were broadcast live on state television and met with an outpouring
of national pride.
Moments after the capsule landed with a thud in the barren pasture lands,
ground crew rushed to open the hatch. The official Xinhua news agency
reported the astronauts as saying: "We have returned, and we feel good."
An hour later, the mission commander, Jing Haipeng, smiled and waved as
he emerged from the capsule in his white space suit. Fellow astronauts Liu
Wang and Liu Yang followed to loud applause.
Their mission marked the first time China has transferred astronauts
between two orbiting craft, a milestone in an effort to acquire the
technological and logistical skills to run a full space station that can
house people for long periods.
The three astronauts were whisked to one side, seated in chairs and
interviewed by state media.
"We are proud of the motherland," Liu Yang said.
Speaking in Beijing, Premier Wen Jiabao congratulated the crew and
welcomed them home.
"Tiangong 1 and Shenzhou 9, in the task of manned rendez-vous and
docking, have achieved complete success," Wen said.
"This is another outstanding contribution by the Chinese people to
humanity's efforts to explore and use space."
China is far from catching up with the established space superpowers, the
US and Russia. But Shenzhou 9 marked China's fourth manned space mission
since 2003, and comes as budget restraints and shifting priorities have
held back US manned space launches.
The US will not test a new rocket to take people into space until 2017
and Russia has said manned missions were no longer a priority.
Nasa has begun investing in US firms to provide commercial spaceflight
services and is spending about $3bn (£1.9bn) a year on a new rocket and
capsule to send astronauts to the moon, asteroids and eventually to Mars.
China says it has spent about $6bn on its manned space programme since
1992.
Beijing is planning an unmanned moon landing and deployment of a moon
rover and its scientists have raised the possibility of sending a man to
the moon, but not before 2020.
China is also jostling with neighbours Japan and India for a bigger
presence in space, but its plans have faced wariness abroad. Beijing says
its aims are peaceful.
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China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft returns to Earth
Space capsule landed in China's north-western Inner Mongolia region with
its three-member crew after a 13-day mission
Reuters in Beijing
guardian.co.uk, Friday 29 June 2012 00.28 EDT
After a 13-day mission, China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft lands in Inner
Mongolia Link to this video
China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft returned to Earth on Friday, ending a
mission that put the country's first woman in space, and completed a
manned docking test critical to its goal of building a space station by
2020.
The spacecraft's gumdrop-shaped return capsule descended to earth by
parachute and touched down shortly after 10am (2am BST) in China's north-
west Inner Mongolia region with its three-member crew, including female
astronaut Liu Yang.
Beijing has hailed the nearly two-week mission as a technical
breakthrough for the country's growing space programme. The launch,
landing and docking exercises with the experimental Tiangong 1 space lab
module were broadcast live on state television and met with an outpouring
of national pride.
Moments after the capsule landed with a thud in the barren pasture lands,
ground crew rushed to open the hatch. The official Xinhua news agency
reported the astronauts as saying: "We have returned, and we feel good."
An hour later, the mission commander, Jing Haipeng, smiled and waved as
he emerged from the capsule in his white space suit. Fellow astronauts Liu
Wang and Liu Yang followed to loud applause.
Their mission marked the first time China has transferred astronauts
between two orbiting craft, a milestone in an effort to acquire the
technological and logistical skills to run a full space station that can
house people for long periods.
The three astronauts were whisked to one side, seated in chairs and
interviewed by state media.
"We are proud of the motherland," Liu Yang said.
Speaking in Beijing, Premier Wen Jiabao congratulated the crew and
welcomed them home.
"Tiangong 1 and Shenzhou 9, in the task of manned rendez-vous and
docking, have achieved complete success," Wen said.
"This is another outstanding contribution by the Chinese people to
humanity's efforts to explore and use space."
China is far from catching up with the established space superpowers, the
US and Russia. But Shenzhou 9 marked China's fourth manned space mission
since 2003, and comes as budget restraints and shifting priorities have
held back US manned space launches.
The US will not test a new rocket to take people into space until 2017
and Russia has said manned missions were no longer a priority.
Nasa has begun investing in US firms to provide commercial spaceflight
services and is spending about $3bn (£1.9bn) a year on a new rocket and
capsule to send astronauts to the moon, asteroids and eventually to Mars.
China says it has spent about $6bn on its manned space programme since
1992.
Beijing is planning an unmanned moon landing and deployment of a moon
rover and its scientists have raised the possibility of sending a man to
the moon, but not before 2020.
China is also jostling with neighbours Japan and India for a bigger
presence in space, but its plans have faced wariness abroad. Beijing says
its aims are peaceful.
--
Subscribe:
zepps_essay...@yahoogroups.com
zepps_news...@yahoogroups.com
Unsubscribe:
zepps_essays...@yahoogroups.com
zepps_news-...@yahoogroups.com
Not dead, in jail or a slave? Thank a liberal!
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