China announces launch of Shenzhou-8 successful, prepares for first docking
The graphic shows the schematic image of Chinese space station. Photo: Xinhua
Commander-in-chief of China's manned space program Chang Wanquan announced early Tuesday that the launch of Shenzhou-8 unmanned spacecraft is successful.
The spacecraft was successfully sent into the designated orbit after the blastoff at 5:58 am at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern desert area, carried by an upgraded Long March-2F rocket.
It is heading to rendezvous with the Tiangong-1, or "Heavenly Palace-1" that was put into space on September 29 for the country's first space docking.
The docking, if successful, will pave the way for China to operate a permanent space station around 2020, and make the nation the world's third to do so.
Pang Zhihao, a researcher from the Chinese Research Institute of Space Technology, told the Global Times that Shenzhou-8 has to be launched when Tiangong-1's orbital plane intersects the launch site, which means the mission has a very narrow launch window.
"If they miss the window, they will have to wait one or two days for another opportunity," Pang said.
Both authorities and experts have been frank about the difficulties and risks facing the test.
Wu Ping, a spokesperson for China's manned space program, said Monday that the docking only has a margin of error of 20 centimeters.
"Nearly 100 contingency plans have been prepared," Wu said, adding that she was confident about the mission.
Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program, told the Xinhua News Agency that other countries' docking processes usually involve one module docking with one spacecraft, but Tiangong-1 will dock with three space vehicles, namely Shenzhou-8, 9 and 10 over the next couple of years.
"This will cut costs significantly. We can never count on other countries to sell their mature technologies to us, so we have to rely on our own," Zhou said.
Tim Robinson, editor of Aerospace International, told Xinhua that the way China is approaching space docking is very different from other countries.
"Unlike the US, which started with manually flown dockings, China is attempting an automated docking first and then manned dockings. This probably reduces the human risk to crew, but it is also very ambitious," Robinson said.
Besides the docking test, Wu revealed that 17 space life science experiments will be conducted on Shenzhou-8, among which 10 will be controlled by China, six by Germany and one by both sides.
All 17 experiments will be conducted in devices jointly provided by China and Germany, according to an agreement between the China Manned Space Program office and the German Aerospace Center in May 2008.
"It is the first time that China's manned space program will work on an international cooperation project in the field of space life science," Wu said, adding that experts from both the European Space Agency and the German Aerospace Center would observe the launch of Shenzhou-8.
China plans to build its first space station by 2020 when the current International Space Station (ISS) nears the end of its life cycle. Currently China is taking part in ISS missions.
Zhou told Xinhua that China's future space station would be made up of three modules, weighing around 60 tons, and that the station would be open to international participation and would never be used to threaten others.
"China's space station will not only provide a research facility for its own scientists, but also be a platform for scientists from other countries. Findings and knowledge acquired on the space station will be the common wealth of all human beings, to be shared with the whole world," Zhou said.
The successful launch of spacecraft Shenzhou-8 on Tuesday also grabs the close attention of the world media.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Tuesday's blastoff is the latest step in what will be a decade-long effort by China to place a manned permanent space station in orbit.
Reuters shares the same view by pointing out that the following-up space docking that set to conduct in next few days "will be a major test of the rising power's ability to win a long-term foothold in space."
BBC introduced the structure of Tiangong-1 space lab module and China's first space station plan on its site. It also reviewed significant achievements China made on its way to a booming space power.
Meanwhile, Wu said that the Shenzhou-8 mission would set the path for the upcoming manned space missions in 2012 and beyond.
"Next year, we will carry out the Shenzhou-9 and 10 flight missions to rendezvous and dock with Tiangong-1. At least one of the two flights next year will be manned," Wu said.
Chen Shanguang, director of the Astronaut Center of China, told Xinhua that two female astronauts, both of them fighter pilots, have been selected for missions in 2012.
"Space exploration activities would be incomplete without the participation of female astronauts," Chen said, adding that both of them are married and around 30 years old.
