Despite prior reports that the Shenzhou-9 mission was to be delayed, it now seems that a June launch could be in the works, carrying a crew of three Chinese taikonauts to space for the first manned docking with the Chinese space station Tiangong-1. In February, the China Manned Space Engineering (CMSE) agency announced that the next Shenzhou would launch between [...]
Post Tagged with: “Shenzhou”
Snail Astronaut Survived with an Algae-based Life Support System
As China plans to build the Chinese Space Station in Low Earth Orbit around 2020, Chinese researchers are busy developing a new generation of technologies to support long term human survival in space. A small but important step forward was made during the 17 days long November flight of Shenzhou VIII spacecraft. The results were recently made public. Among the [...]
ESA and China Discuss Possible Joint ISS Mission
According to Aviation Week, Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General, met with Chinese officials in March 22-23 to discuss a cooperation in human spaceflight which may include a docking of a Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). “The partnership of the ISS [...] can be successful only if we are open to other cooperation or other partners,” said Dordain, “we [...]
Next Chinese Manned Mission Postponed Until 2013
According to a report from Beijing published in the Economic Times, China has delayed its next manned spaceflight mission until next year. This is despite a previous announcement in late 2011 by Wu Ping, spokeswoman for the Chinese space agency, that China would conduct two more rendezvous missions to its orbiting Tiangong station in 2012, at least one of which [...]
Video: The Chinese Space Station Program
An overview of the three staged approach to human spaceflight of the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA), culminating in a space station complex enabling permanent human presence in orbit. Staff WritersMore Posts
Cooperating with China: Space Safety is the Key!
China’s space activities and intentions are seen by some military analysts as not sufficiently transparent, and the dual-use nature of most space technology compounds the uncertainties and slows down cooperative efforts. However, cooperation among all spacefaring nations is essential to ensure safety and sustainability of space operations. Confidence and communication with China could be developed through a high profile and mutually beneficial program. Such a program could be the development and demonstration of orbital [...]
China ends 2011 with another space milestone
China launched a remote sensing satellite from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on December 22, 2011 marking a milestone in China’s space program. For the first time, China surpassed the United States in launches conducted from its territory launching 17 rockets compared to the United States’ 16. The satellite, Ziyuan I-02C, was launched at 11:26 am local time aboard a Long [...]
Possible Identities of Chinese Astronauts Revealed
A pair of international space observers claim to have discovered the names of China’s second group of astronauts, or “taikonauts” the identities of whom have been a closely-guarded secret. The alleged discovery was made by Tony Quine, a spaceflight memorabilia collector and contributor to the British Interplanetary Society’s Spaceflight magazine, who discovered a postmarked envelope on a German space dealer’s [...]
Shenzhou-8 Reentry Capsule Returns Home
The reentry module of China’s unmanned Shenzhou-8 capsule returned to Earth on November 17, landing in a northern region of Inner Mongolia. Having completed its on-orbit rendezvous and docking mission, the spacecraft has now returned to the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing where it was created. Based on an initial inspection of the capsule by its designers, it [...]
Shenzhou-8 Docking Moves Forward Chinese Space Program
China’s Shenzhou-8 successfully executed a docking procedure with the Tiangong-1 space lab module on November 4. ”Within only seven or eight years, China’s space experts have completed what their foreign counterparts took three to four decades to achieve,” said Wang Yongzhi, the chief designer of the Shenzhou-5 and -6 spacecraft. Wu Ping, spokesperson for China Manned Space Engineering (CMSE) described the achievement [...]
