China
Launches “Shenzhou IV" Unmanned Spacecraft
China launched its 4th unmanned spacecraft,
"Shenzhou IV" at 00:40am December 30 (Beijing
Time) from Jiuquan Satellite Launching Center
of Gansu Province, and later the spaceship
entered its preset orbit.
China launched its fourth unmanned spacecraft
"Shenzhou IV" early Monday morning with a "Long
March II F" carrier rocket, a move that could
soon lead to its manned space voyage.
Leading scientists in charge of China's manned
space program said the successful launch of the
"Shenzhou (divine vessel) IV" laid a solid foundation
for the country's future task of sending Chinese
astronauts to outer space.
The "Long March II F" rocket blasted off at
00:40 a.m. (BeijingTime) from the Jiuquan Satellite
Launch Center in northwest China's Gansu Province.
It was the 27th consecutive successful launch
of China-made rockets after October 1996.
Liu Zhusheng, leading designer of the carrier
rocket system, said that the "Long March II F"
rocket is on a par with the best of its kind in
the world in terms of reliability and safety.
Space scientists at the Beijing Aerospace Command
and Control Center said that the "Shenzhou IV"
had entered a preset orbit.
Su Shuangning, commander and leading designer
of the astronaut system for China's manned space
program, said Chinese astronauts had entered the
spacecraft to receive training for the first time.
The astronauts were all selected from fighter
pilots in the airforce, Su said.
"With tough training in basic theories, professional
skills andflight procedures and tasks, the astronauts
are absolutely capableof making their maiden voyage
to outer space," said the commander.
Qi Faren, leading designer of the spacecraft
system, said all the functions, indices and data
relevant to manned flights had stood up to the
test of three previous successful launches and
return landings of the "Shenzhou" spaceships.
"Shenzhou IV" had been modified to make it a
more comfortable place for astronauts to live
in and work, said Qi.
All parts of the application system for manned
flight are installed aboard the "Shenzhou IV"
craft in the ongoing test flights.
Gu Yidong, commander and chief designer of the
space application system, said a number of scientific
experiments would be conducted while the spacecraft
remained in space, including some involving the
astronaut flight system, control of the spacecraft
environment and life support sub-system.
Zhou Jianping, chief designer of the launch
system, said at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
had put in place sound facilities for survey,
control, telecommunications, and command systems
with necessary facilities catering for astronauts.
Sun Baosheng, deputy chief designer of the monitoring
and telecommunications system, said monitoring
stations under the Xi'an Satellite Monitoring
Center and four "Yuanwang" aerospace survey ships
at anchor in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic
oceans,were tracking and controlling the spacecraft.
Zhao Jun, commander and chief designer of the
landing system, said a number of land and marine
emergency rescue zones had been set up, and rescue
workers had conducted some trial rescue operations
in line with requirements set for manned flights.
According to China's manned flight program which
began in 1992,a number of unmanned test flights
will be launched before Chinese astronauts are
sent into space.
Experts regard Monday's successful launch as
one of the important test missions of the whole
program.
The orbiting spacecraft is expected to return
to Earth after completing its preset experiments
in space during an unspecified period.
China launched the "Shenzhou I", "Shenzhou II"
and "Shenzhou III" spacecraft in November 1999,
January 2001 and March 2002 respectively.
China conducted its first test flight of "Shenzhou"
in 1999 at the Jiuquan launch site.
On January 10, 2001, China launched the second
unmanned spaceship "Shenzhou II" which was basically
identical to a manned craft.
China launched its third unmanned spaceship
"Shenzhou III" on March 25, 2002. |
