Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




DRAGON SPACE
Seven More For Shenzhou
by Morris Jones
Sydney, Australia (SPX) May 11, 2010


File image courtesy AFP.

Yet another media report from China has confirmed the basics of their latest group of astronauts. Five men and two women are being trained for Shenzhou missions. In keeping with China's typical policy of secrecy, we don't know their names or faces yet, but analysts are making educated guesses from previously disclosed lists of candidates.

All the astronauts are experienced pilots from China's Air Force. So far, China has not taken the step of diversifying its astronaut corps with scientists or medical doctors. It's possible that "mission specialist" astronauts will be recruited before China launches its large space station around 2020.

While we try to find out who these people are, other questions must also be asked. How will the entry of these new astronauts affect the overall balance of China's astronaut corps?

Previous Chinese reportage has hinted that some of China's first batch of astronauts would be expected to retire in the near future. Chinese media statements claim that the new recruits will replace "some of the batch" that was first recruited in 1998. But we still don't know how many will retire, or who. Some of the original group may be retired without flying a single space mission.

How many active astronauts does China expect to have ready at any given moment? Again, this is unclear.

China may end up using experienced astronauts from its first batch as commanders on Shenzhou 9 and 10, which are expected to launch in 2012.

These missions will dock with the Tiangong 1 space laboratory, which will be launched in 2011. Each mission is expected to fly three astronauts, and there could easily be a woman on Shenzhou 9. The third seat could be taken by a previously unflown astronaut from the first batch.

This scenario sounds plausible, but there is no real evidence to support it. Crew strategies are also opaque at the present.

It will be interesting to see if the new batch is trained differently from the first. By now, trainers and the astronauts themselves will have a lot more experience with spaceflight and mission planning. The next astronauts will probably find their training moves faster and more smoothly than the first batch.

Dr Morris Jones is the author of The New Moon Race, from Rosenberg Publishing

.


Related Links
- The Chinese Space Program - News, Policy and Technology
China News from SinoDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








DRAGON SPACE
China Signs Up First Female Astronauts
Beijing (XNA) May 10, 2010
China's space authorities added seven new members to its astronaut crew on Friday, with two women included for the first time. As usual, the names of the second batch of astronauts were not disclosed. However, space authorities did reveal in a press release that they are all aged 30 to 35, married and have college diplomas. The five men are fighter pilots, while the two women fly transport ... read more


DRAGON SPACE
LRO Team Helps Track Laser Signals To Russian Rover Mirror

Lunar Polar Craters May Be Electrified

Seed Bank For The Moon

Craters Around Lunar Poles Could Be Electrified

DRAGON SPACE
Mars500 European Crew Selected And Ready To Go

Opportunity Drives Twice This Week

New Martian Views From Orbiting Camera Show Diversity

Countdown begins to 520 day 'Mars mission'

DRAGON SPACE
Bonds And Beads Of Courage Fly On Atlantis

Neil Armstrong says Obama 'poorly advised' on space

Astronaut Takes Flag To Outer Space To Commemorate The Ilan Ramon Scholarship Project

'Starving yogi' astounds Indian scientists

DRAGON SPACE
Seven More For Shenzhou

China Signs Up First Female Astronauts

China To Launch Second Lunar Probe This Year

China, Bolivia to build communications satellite

DRAGON SPACE
ISS Crew Set To Relocate Russian Spacecraft

Russian Space Freighter Undocked From ISS

Researchers To Send Bacteria Into Orbit Aboard Atlantis

Russian Space Freighter Ready To Leave Orbital Station

DRAGON SPACE
Soyuz Consultation Committee Sets Inaugural Launch For Fourth Quarter Of 2010

Integration Of Soyuz' First And Second Stages Is Complete

Arianespace Signs Contract With HUGHES To Launch Jupiter

Energia Overseas Limited Assumes DIP Financing For Sea Launch

DRAGON SPACE
Planet discovered lacking methane

'This Planet Tastes Funny,' According To Spitzer

Small, Ground-Based Telescope Images Three Exoplanets

Wet Rocky Planets A Dime A Dozen In The Milky Way

DRAGON SPACE
Making light work: The 50-year odyssey of the laser

Sharp develops 3D camera system for mobile phones

HTC strikes back at Apple with patent complaint

Google, Verizon working on tablet computer: WSJ




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal 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