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China's next manned space flight scheduled for 2008
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-04-10 08:36
China's next manned space flight, the third in its ambitious program, is
scheduled to take place in 2008, state media reported.
A crowd watches the launch of the Shenzhou VI
rocket on a big screen in Beijing. China's next manned space flight, the
third in its ambitious program, is scheduled to take place in 2008, state
media reported. The date is one year later than previous announcements of
the launch schedule for the Shenzhou VII craft, but Beijing Times gave no
explanation for the change. [AFP] |
The Shenzhou 7 was initially scheduled
to fly next year, but the government announced a delay last month, saying
it needed time to prepare a spacesuit for a planned space walk.
Jing Muchun, the manned space program's chief designer,
said better quality parts would be used for the rocket carrier and scientists
would upgrade sections of the craft to improve its reliability, the Xinhua News
Agency said.
The Shenzhou VII mission would kick off the second phase of
China's manned space program which would focus on relatively complex procedures,
sending astronauts on space walks and having craft dock in space.
It quoted Jing as saying designers also are "considering
adding more cameras."
Xinhua and newspaper reports didn't give a date
for the flight or other details.
But officials earlier said the mission
probably would include a spacewalk and possible maneuvers meant to practice
docking at a planned Chinese space station.
China's second manned space mission, taking two astronauts into orbit for
five days, ended in October seemingly without major glitches.
Shenzhou V, China's first manned spacecraft, blasted off
in October 2003, making China the third nation after the former Soviet Union and
the United States to send a man into space.
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