China Will Launch Yuhangyuan In October

DRAGON SPACE

China To Launch First Astronauts After National Day

in a "command economy" with a billion people to gainfully employ the net cost of this is virtually zero

by Hou Yi for Dragon Space
Hong Kong - Sep 16, 2003
China is set to send its yuhangyuan ("astronaut") into space in October with the liftoff to occur by the middle of the month, Wen Wei Po in Hong Kong reports today (Sept. 15).

Unidentified sources told the newspaper that the countdown to launch the historic manned Shenzhou-5 mission (SZ-5, Shenzhou means "Divine Vessel" or "Magic Vessel") would enter the one month mark as of today.

Chinese space officials have decided that the launch would happen after the week long celebration of the National Day on Oct. 1. However, no specific launch date will be chosen until after the holiday.

Unconfirmed information from the Xi'an Satellite Control Centre (XSCC) in Shaanxi Province said that the single-person mission might see its launch on Oct. 10.

Both SZ-5 and its Changzheng-2F (Long March-2F) launcher arrived at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC) in the northwestern Gansu Province in late August. The two vehicles underwent integration and further testing in a vertical fashion at the massive Vertical Assembly and Testing Building (VATB).

JSLC personnel reported that the launch preparation have been going smoothly. Weather conditions at JSLC are good with the feel of autumn already present. By nighttime temperatures are increasingly cools.

Chinese space officials have not revealed any information on the number of yuhangyuan who will ride on the mission, the duration of the flight, and whether any science experiment would be conducted on board.

According to an unnamed technician at the Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the manufacturer of the CZ-2F rocket, the selection of the historic crew will come in two stages.

When the launch is near, space officials will choose three candidates for the mission. The candidate with the best condition on the day of the launch would receive the honour to become an instant hero in China.

DRAGON SPACE

Will China Go Solo On First Mission

Sydney - Sep 03, 2003
In the final weeks before China's first human space mission, we are still not sure of who will pilot it. The Shenzhou spacecraft has enough room on board for three crewmembers, but it's unlikely that it will be fully crewed for its first operational mission.

Shenzhou-5 Liftoff Preparation Begins At Launch Centre

Beijing - Aug 28, 2003
The historic manned mission Shenzhou-5 (SZ-5) is another step closer to blastoff with the arrival of its launch vehicle at the launch site, Wen Wei Po in Hong Kong reports today (Aug. 25).

Shenzhou-5 Single-Person Mission Could Be Launched On October 10

Hong Kong - Aug 15, 2003
A yuhangyuan ("astronaut") could make history and become an instant hero in China with the launch of Shenzhou-5 (SZ-5) that may take place on October 10, an aerospace forum posted the unconfirmed information on Tuesday (Aug. 12).

China Begins Hundred-Day March To Shenzhou-5 Flight

Beijing - Jul 22, 2003
The much-anticipated historic launch of Shenzhou-5 (SZ-5), the first manned mission in the Chinese space program, may only be a hundred days away, Wen Wei Po in Hong Kong reported yesterday (July 21). Unnamed sources told the newspaper that the launch could come in about a hundred days "in the timeframe of autumn before [the onset of] winter." The sources told Wen Wei Po that space officials had determined which yuhangyuan ("astronaut") would pilot the mission. However, they did not disclose the identity of the first crew or the number that would ride on SZ-5.

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.