China may broadcast maiden spacewalk live

[kvLin]

SHANGHAI, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- China may live broadcast the first ever spacewalk by its astronauts in the upcoming space mission of Shenzhou VII this year, a scientist involved in the program said here on Friday.

Yuan Jie, president of Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), made the remarks at the ongoing annual session of Shanghai People's Congress, or legislature of the city.

"The Shenzhou VII spacecraft is capable of live-broadcasting the walk, but it has not been decided if the spacewalk will be broadcast in a live or recorded version," Yuan told Xinhua.

SAST is in charge of the transmission of pictures and audio signals of Shenzhou VII and its technologies have been proved successful in previous Shenzhou spacecraft missions.

SAST is also responsible for the research of the propulsion system, power system, and monitoring and control communication system of the Shenzhou VII, according to Yuan.

Compared with the previous two manned space flights, the upcoming Shenzhou VII space mission is more complex. Besides the spacewalk, the crew is also expected to perform extra-vehicular work such as installing equipment and tightening screws.

There are 14 astronauts undergoing extensive training for this project and learning to cope with any contingencies. The Shenzhou VII is expected to carry three astronauts in 2008 on a Long March 2F carrier rocket that is being tested now.

China launched its manned space program in 1999. It successfully sent Yang Liwei, the country's first astronaut, into orbit on the Shenzhou V spacecraft in 2003. Yang spent about 21 hours in orbit.

Two years later, astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng completed a Chinese record five-day flight on the Shenzhou VI. All astronauts returned safely.

source: China may broadcast maiden spacewalk live_English_Xinhua

 

[mujahideen]

It should be interesting to watch something like this live.

 

[mujahideen]

China to launch 10 satellites this year

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (APP) -- China plans 10 space launches this year including the Shenzhou VII spaceship, according to a scientist from China’s top space program research institute. The 10 launches include two environmental satellites, a meteorological satellite and a communications satellite for Venezuela, according to head of the China Academy of Space Technology, Yang Baohua.

The launch of Shenzhou VII this year will spacewalk by taikonauts and lay the foundation work for China’s space station construction.

The Huanjing-1A and Huanjing-1B, together with a third satellite to be launched next year, will shape China’s first small satellite constellation for disaster monitoring. The constellation will enable scientists to conduct all-weather, 24 hour monitoring and forecast on the environment and natural disasters.

Yang said the country is also planning to send a record number of satellites into space in the next five to 10 years.

China has sent an average of eight satellites into space annually during the first two years of its 11th five-year-plan (2006-2010), and the number was 1.5 before its ninth five-year-plan (1996-2000).

app - China to launch 10 satellites this year