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China launches 'Shenzhou II'
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THE new spacecraft's functions are basically identical to a manned space aircraft
China launched an unmanned spacecraft, "Shenzhou II", early Wednesday morning in Jiuquan, and 10 minutes after blast-off, the spaceship entered its preset orbit.
The successful launch at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern Gansu Province was China's second in a series of flights expected to lead to a first manned space flight.
It marked a step forward in China's manned space programme.
China conducted its first test flight of "Shenzhou" in 1999 at the Jiuquan launch site. And according to a plan, it will launch more unmanned spacecraft until a manned spaceship takes shape.
"Shenzhou II" is composed of an orbital module, returning module and booster rockets. Compared with its predecessor, the new spacecraft has been improved in structure and technological qualities, whose functions are basically identical to a manned space aircraft.
The spaceship, made solely by Chinese scientists and engineers, is expected to return in a few days.
During the flight, experiments on space life sciences, space materials, space astronomy and physics will be conducted.
The "Long March II F" carrier rocket that carries the spacecraft was a new powerful product made in China especially for the manned space programme. Its overall structure, power system, control system and remote monitoring system have been improved to ensure reliability, and new trouble-shooting system and life-saving system have been added for better safety of the spacemen.
This was the 65th launch of the "Long March" carrier rocket series, and its 23rd successful launch in a row since October 1996.
The launch site was built solely by China, which was designed to launch both satellites and space aircraft. It is capable of a general assembly in a vertical way, vertical tests of the combined body of the space aircraft and booster rockets and vertical transportation of the combined body. The technology of long-distance monitoring and control of the launching is also used.
The spacecraft was developed and manufactured mainly by the Chinese Research Institute of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and Shanghai Research Institute of Astronomical Technology. The carrier rocket was made by the China Research Institute of Carrier Rocket Technology under the Aerospace Corporation.
Relevant departments of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Information Industry took part in the design, manufacture and test of the project.
During the flight, under the command of the Beijing Aerospace Directing and Controlling Centre, the Xi'an Satellite Monitoring Centre of China and the surveying ships named "Yuanwang" stationed at high seas will trace, survey and control its operations.
An official responsible for the launch said that the success of the "Shenzhou II" is "of great importance for China to comprehensively grasp the manned space technologies and make technological breakthroughs".
"More unmanned test flights will be launched to pave the way for sending Chinese astronauts into space in the end," he said.
China aims to build space stations
SOURCES from the Chinese aerospace industry said on Tuesday that China's ambitious three-phase space programme was initiated in 1992.
In the first phase, unmanned and later manned space vehicles will be put into space, in which astronauts may conduct scientific experiments and surveys above the earth at perigee orbit, and safely return to earth.
In the second phase, astronauts will be able to come out of the capsule to conduct studies, and create space stations which operate on their own for most of the time and are only taken care of by man for only a brief period of time, will be put into space.
In the end, larger space stations with the ability to house astronauts for long periods of time will be built.
Over the past seven years, Chinese scientists and engineers have been fulfilling this mission step by step, he said.
On November 20, 1999, the country's first unmanned spacecraft "Shenzhou" took off into space and did 14 orbits of the planet Earth during a 21-hour journey in space.
The United States and Russia have been the only countries in the world that have sent a human into space.
Control Centre of 'Shenzhou II'
WITH the successful launch of the unmanned spacecraft "Shenzhou II" early Wednesday morning, a control centre in Beijing plays the role of headquarters to monitor and control the flight.
Beijing Aerospace Directing and Controlling Centre, the third biggest aerospace control centre in the world, has successfully directed "Shenzhou II" into the designated orbit and has been tracing, monitoring and controlling the spacecraft.
In the controlling hall of the centre, four huge screens were presenting the data on the operation of the spacecraft in a three-dimensional manner.
In the laboratory for remote control and measuring and orbit determination, technological personnel are busy sending orders and relevant data, so that the spacecraft can travel along the preset orbit and return to the earth safely.
The main computer laboratory accommodates hundreds of computers and a high-speed data network, which form a huge complicated computer system for receiving, handling and transmitting data on the mission of the space flight.
The laboratories for telecommunications and data transmission link the control centre with "Shenzhou II", all ground-based monitoring stations and the surveying ships stationed on the high seas.(Xinhua)
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