HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- China has confirmed that it is planning to launch its first manned space flight at "an appropriate time" between October 15 and 17.
The announcement was made Friday by an unidentified official in charge of the country's manned space program, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
If it is successful, the flight will put China in an elite club of space powers, making it only the third nation -- in addition to the United States and Russia -- capable of putting humans into space.
"The Shenzhou V spacecraft will carry out the first manned space mission and will lift off from the China Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center," Xinhua quoted the official as saying.
"Now all preparatory work for the launch is progressing smoothly."
Factors affecting the final launch time include the weather at the launch and landing sites and the presence of orbiting space debris that could strike the spacecraft.
Reports earlier this week quoted officials at China's state-run CCTV television as saying they planned to broadcast the launch and subsequent flight live across the country.
Friday's announcement also gave the first official details of the planned flight, revealing that the Shenzhou (Divine Vessel) V spacecraft would make 14 orbits of the Earth before landing in a pre-selected area.
However, no details were given about the identity or number of the spacecraft's first passengers.
The Shenzhou is thought to be capable of carrying up to three astronauts, but several reports have said the first flight will carry just one.
Nonetheless, the wording of the Xinhua report implied that at least two astronauts had been selected for the mission, saying that a "team" of astronauts – also dubbed "taikonauts" after the Chinese word for space -- had been formed for the mission.
Training and selection
The report added that "they" had passed "strict tests, training and selection" and "a comprehensive drill" in preparation for the flight -- although that may mean that only one astronaut will fly on the day with one or more kept as backup.
China has trained an elite corps of 14 astronauts, all of them men and all former fighter pilots with more than 1,000 hours flying experience.
At least two are believed to have received training at Russia's Star City space training center outside Moscow.
The astronaut or astronauts will wear a Chinese-designed space suit that official media has described as costing "the equivalent price of a luxury car."
Other than that little is known about the men, at least one of whom is destined to become a national hero if all goes well.
The identities of all of China's astronauts, like many details of the military-linked space program, has been kept a closely guarded secret.
China's government sees the space program as a focus for building national pride and demonstrating the capability of Chinese engineering.
However, critics have said the program, which costs billions of dollars a year, is wasteful for a country where millions of citizens still struggle to earn enough to feed themselves.
yay
That's the wrong way to tickle Mary, that's the wrong way to kiss!
Don't you know that, over here lad, they like it best like this!
Hooray, pour les français! Farewell, Angleterre!
We didn't know how to tickle Mary, but we learnt how, over there!
And so China prepares to make its first bold step into the early 60's. Likely the US won't need the non-existent help of our fictional god.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
Sea Skimmer wrote:And so China prepares to make its first bold step into the early 60's. Likely the US won't need the non-existent help of our fictional god.
This makes me giggle.
Manic Progressive: A liberal who violently swings from anger at politicos to despondency over them.
Out Of Context theatre: Ron Paul has repeatedly said he's not a racist. - Destructinator XIII on why Ron Paul isn't racist.
Funny thing, lets hope it works out better then their first attempt
at a Ballistic missile submarine, which sank in the process of launching
a ballistic missile from underwater
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
I wonder if it is more logical to interpret China's venture into space as a sign of weakness or strength. They could be using that money on improving their military, but instead it is being used to make to make what I think is more of a statement to the intl. community that they can accomplish anything the west can do.
MKSheppard wrote:
Funny thing, lets hope it works out better then their first attempt
at a Ballistic missile submarine, which sank in the process of launching
a ballistic missile from underwater
So has been said, in rumor. It would fit with much of there other workmanship though.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
Andrew J. wrote:We call Americans in space "astronauts" and Russians in space "cosmonauts"; what are we going to call the Chinese?
"dead"
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
CNN.com wrote:The first launch in the program -- an unmanned spacecraft -- is set for October 1999 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China, experts say. Chinese astronauts, called taikonauts and first trained by Russians in 1996, are expected to go up in a rocket-launched spacecraft nine to 12 months later.
I say we should welcome China into the 60's now. I'm sure they're going to try to make it the moon, and get the hoax people will find a way to say they staged it.
"A cult is a religion with no political power." -Tom Wolfe Pardon me for sounding like a dick, but I'm playing the tiniest violin in the world right now-Dalton
Andrew J. wrote:We call Americans in space "astronauts" and Russians in space "cosmonauts"; what are we going to call the Chinese?
"dead"
*pisses self laughing*
That really was comedy gold.
And as for the Chinese wasting money on sending men into orbit, I say they aren't wasting nearly enough.
Frank Hipper wrote:pisses self laughing*
That really was comedy gold.
And as for the Chinese wasting money on sending men into orbit, I say they aren't wasting nearly enough.
I'm surprised there not trying to be the first at something else in space, like orbiting the first cow, and then recouping part of the launch costs by selling the milk at a hundred times the normal price. Critics might wonder at first how one cow can produce five thousand gallons of milk per day, but then only idiots will be buying in the first place.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
is there some sort of point to this mockary of China trying to achieve something it has not achieved before? i understand it's a little late since the USA and Russia achieved this rather pointless goal decades ago, but someone has to start SOMEWHERE
I do know how to spell
AniThyng is merely the name I gave to what became my favourite Baldur's Gate II mage character
Mostly we're mocking China not for their being behind the times, but for their typical Communist arrogance and their belief that they're number one, etc.
Yes, I know that we're showing exactly the same arrogance, but to be perfectly honest we can back ours up with a bit more than China.
CNN.com wrote:The first launch in the program -- an unmanned spacecraft -- is set for October 1999 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China, experts say. Chinese astronauts, called taikonauts and first trained by Russians in 1996, are expected to go up in a rocket-launched spacecraft nine to 12 months later.
there ya go!
Well, "taikonaut" isn't really right, which isn't suprising, since most western news are notorious for butchering Chinese. IIRC, China calls it's astronauts "tai kung ren", but I could be wrong. ("taikonaut", by the way, sounds more japanese than chinese anyway)
"Show me an angel and I will paint you one." - Gustav Courbet
"Quetzalcoatl, plumed serpent of the Aztecs... you are a pussy." - Stephen Colbert
"Really, I'm jealous of how much smarter than me he is. I'm not an expert on anything and he's an expert on things he knows nothing about." - Me, concerning a bullshitter
Sea Skimmer wrote:I'm surprised there not trying to be the first at something else in space, like orbiting the first cow, and then recouping part of the launch costs by selling the milk at a hundred times the normal price. Critics might wonder at first how one cow can produce five thousand gallons of milk per day, but then only idiots will be buying in the first place.
They aren't testing their craft with animals first? Huh. Every nation that put a lifeform in orbit first did it with animals. America useds chimps, Russia used dogs, even France had it's space cats, with their very own space cat carriers. Very odd.
"Show me an angel and I will paint you one." - Gustav Courbet
"Quetzalcoatl, plumed serpent of the Aztecs... you are a pussy." - Stephen Colbert
"Really, I'm jealous of how much smarter than me he is. I'm not an expert on anything and he's an expert on things he knows nothing about." - Me, concerning a bullshitter
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
Sea Skimmer wrote:I'm surprised there not trying to be the first at something else in space, like orbiting the first cow, and then recouping part of the launch costs by selling the milk at a hundred times the normal price. Critics might wonder at first how one cow can produce five thousand gallons of milk per day, but then only idiots will be buying in the first place.
They aren't testing their craft with animals first? Huh. Every nation that put a lifeform in orbit first did it with animals. America useds chimps, Russia used dogs, even France had it's space cats, with their very own space cat carriers. Very odd.
Maybe they figure that since other countries have launched both animals and people into space, the technology has already been proven so they don't need to bother...
I believe in a sign of Zeta.
[BOTM|WG|JL|Mecha Maniacs|Pax Cybertronia|Veteran of the Psychic Wars|Eva Expert]
"And besides, who cares if a monster destroys Australia?"
Sea Skimmer wrote:I'm surprised there not trying to be the first at something else in space, like orbiting the first cow, and then recouping part of the launch costs by selling the milk at a hundred times the normal price. Critics might wonder at first how one cow can produce five thousand gallons of milk per day, but then only idiots will be buying in the first place.
They aren't testing their craft with animals first? Huh. Every nation that put a lifeform in orbit first did it with animals. America useds chimps, Russia used dogs, even France had it's space cats, with their very own space cat carriers. Very odd.
China isn't exactly known for it's regard for the well being of it's citizens. Heck, there is no telling how many cosmonauts died before Gagarin was finally put into orbit...
CNN.com wrote:The first launch in the program -- an unmanned spacecraft -- is set for October 1999 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China, experts say. Chinese astronauts, called taikonauts and first trained by Russians in 1996, are expected to go up in a rocket-launched spacecraft nine to 12 months later.
there ya go!
Well, "taikonaut" isn't really right, which isn't suprising, since most western news are notorious for butchering Chinese. IIRC, China calls it's astronauts "tai kung ren", but I could be wrong. ("taikonaut", by the way, sounds more japanese than chinese anyway)
Other places say it is taikonaut as well as yuhangyuan.
And I question the intelligence of having a launch site at a place called Liquor Springs.
