This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/sci/tech/7637818.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| China astronaut to walk in space | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Three Chinese astronauts orbiting the Earth are about to take part in their country's first space walk. | |
| One astronaut will leave the vessel for 20 minutes to conduct experiments while a second will don a spacesuit but remain in the spacecraft as back-up. | One astronaut will leave the vessel for 20 minutes to conduct experiments while a second will don a spacesuit but remain in the spacecraft as back-up. |
| The operation will be broadcast live on television across China. | The operation will be broadcast live on television across China. |
| Conducting operations outside a spacecraft is essential if China is to fulfil its goal of building an orbiting station in the next few years. | Conducting operations outside a spacecraft is essential if China is to fulfil its goal of building an orbiting station in the next few years. |
| The 42-year-old fighter pilot Zhai Zhigang is due to carry out the manoeuvre at 1630 Beijing Time (0830 GMT) on Saturday. | The 42-year-old fighter pilot Zhai Zhigang is due to carry out the manoeuvre at 1630 Beijing Time (0830 GMT) on Saturday. |
| The Shenzhou VII capsule soared into orbit on a Long March II-F rocket from Jiuquan spaceport in north-west China. | The Shenzhou VII capsule soared into orbit on a Long March II-F rocket from Jiuquan spaceport in north-west China. |
| The rocket put the Shenzhou capsule in a near-circular orbit more than 300km above the Earth. | The rocket put the Shenzhou capsule in a near-circular orbit more than 300km above the Earth. |
| Mr Zhai is joined on the mission by two other "yuhangyuan" (astronauts) - Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng. | Mr Zhai is joined on the mission by two other "yuhangyuan" (astronauts) - Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng. |
| The astronauts have been training in a water tank | The astronauts have been training in a water tank |
| Zhang Jianqi, one of the chief engineers for China's space programme, said keeping three men in the spacecraft, and then sending one outside, would be a "big test". | Zhang Jianqi, one of the chief engineers for China's space programme, said keeping three men in the spacecraft, and then sending one outside, would be a "big test". |
| "This is a big technological leap," he told state-run news agency Xinhua. | "This is a big technological leap," he told state-run news agency Xinhua. |
| "The risks are quite high. Sending up three astronauts is a jump both in quantity and quality." | "The risks are quite high. Sending up three astronauts is a jump both in quantity and quality." |
| When Mr Zhai carries out his excursion, he is expected to wear a Chinese-made spacesuit thought to have cost between £5m and £20m ($10m-$40m). | When Mr Zhai carries out his excursion, he is expected to wear a Chinese-made spacesuit thought to have cost between £5m and £20m ($10m-$40m). |
| 1958: Base for spaceflights built at Jiuquan, in Gobi desertApril 1970: China launches its first satellite into space1990-2002: Shenzhou I-IV are launched to develop systems Oct 2003: The first manned space mission launches on Shenzhou VOct 2005: The Shenzhou VI mission takes two men into space Oct 2007: Chang'e-1 orbiter sent on unmanned mission to the Moon The yuhanguan will be tethered to the capsule with an umbilical cable. | 1958: Base for spaceflights built at Jiuquan, in Gobi desertApril 1970: China launches its first satellite into space1990-2002: Shenzhou I-IV are launched to develop systems Oct 2003: The first manned space mission launches on Shenzhou VOct 2005: The Shenzhou VI mission takes two men into space Oct 2007: Chang'e-1 orbiter sent on unmanned mission to the Moon The yuhanguan will be tethered to the capsule with an umbilical cable. |
| His back-up, Mr Liu, will monitor the activity, presumably to reel the spacewalker back inside if there is an emergency. | His back-up, Mr Liu, will monitor the activity, presumably to reel the spacewalker back inside if there is an emergency. |
| Mr Zhai will retrieve an externally mounted experiment and oversee the release of a satellite. | Mr Zhai will retrieve an externally mounted experiment and oversee the release of a satellite. |
| The ship will then release a 40kg (88lb) satellite which will circle the orbiter and beam back images to mission control. | The ship will then release a 40kg (88lb) satellite which will circle the orbiter and beam back images to mission control. |
| At the end of the mission, the Shenzhou re-entry capsule will target a landing in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. | At the end of the mission, the Shenzhou re-entry capsule will target a landing in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. |
| China became only the third nation after the United States and Russia to independently put a man in space when Yang Liwei, another fighter pilot, went into orbit on the Shenzhou V mission in October 2003. | China became only the third nation after the United States and Russia to independently put a man in space when Yang Liwei, another fighter pilot, went into orbit on the Shenzhou V mission in October 2003. |
| Two years later, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng completed a five-day flight on Shenzhou VI. | Two years later, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng completed a five-day flight on Shenzhou VI. |
| According to the Associated Press, Xinhua posted an article on its website prior to the lift-off that was written as if Shenzhou VII had already been launched into space. | According to the Associated Press, Xinhua posted an article on its website prior to the lift-off that was written as if Shenzhou VII had already been launched into space. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| China's Shenzhou VII rocket blasts off | China's Shenzhou VII rocket blasts off |
| The article reportedly carried a date of 27 September and came complete with a dialogue between the astronauts. | The article reportedly carried a date of 27 September and came complete with a dialogue between the astronauts. |
| Chinese media report that this latest mission is the "most critical step" in the country's "three-step" space programme. | Chinese media report that this latest mission is the "most critical step" in the country's "three-step" space programme. |
| These stages are: sending a human into orbit, docking spacecraft together to form a small laboratory and, ultimately, building a large space station. | These stages are: sending a human into orbit, docking spacecraft together to form a small laboratory and, ultimately, building a large space station. |
| The Shenzhou VIII and IX missions are expected to help set up a space laboratory complex in 2010. | The Shenzhou VIII and IX missions are expected to help set up a space laboratory complex in 2010. |
| China launched an unmanned Moon probe last year about one month after rival Japan blasted its own lunar orbiter into space. | China launched an unmanned Moon probe last year about one month after rival Japan blasted its own lunar orbiter into space. |
| SHENZHOU VII SPACECRAFT 1. Forward orbital module - crew live and work in this section, which contains scientific equipment. In future missions, this module may remain in orbit as part of a Chinese space station2. Re-entry capsule - contains seats for three crew3. Propulsion module - contains spacecraft's power unit and liquid fuel rocket system4. Solar panels - spacecraft carries one pair of solar panels5. Spacewalk - One yuhangyuan (astronaut) exits the orbital module on a tether. Another crew member stands just inside to assist in case of an emergency | SHENZHOU VII SPACECRAFT 1. Forward orbital module - crew live and work in this section, which contains scientific equipment. In future missions, this module may remain in orbit as part of a Chinese space station2. Re-entry capsule - contains seats for three crew3. Propulsion module - contains spacecraft's power unit and liquid fuel rocket system4. Solar panels - spacecraft carries one pair of solar panels5. Spacewalk - One yuhangyuan (astronaut) exits the orbital module on a tether. Another crew member stands just inside to assist in case of an emergency |