China's 1st Manned Launch Next Week

[Lionel]

China is poised to launch its first crew into space next week, becoming just the third nation in history to be able to transport people off the planet. Though the voyage comes 42 years after a political contest which drove the former Soviet Union and the United States into orbit, the Chinese view its flight as part of a long-term plan to explore and develop space. A Chinese Shenzhou 5 spaceship, which means "divine vessel," is scheduled for launch as early as Wednesday morning from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center near the Gobi desert, the government's official news agency Xinhua reported Friday. The mission is scheduled to last for 14 orbits, or about 21 hours. The exact number of taikonauts — a nickname stemming from the Chinese word for space — taking part in the flight has not yet been released. The flight follows four unmanned test flights and more than a decade of research and development.

China's spacecraft is modeled on the Russian Soyuz vehicle. Russia also provided training to a cadre of Chinese astronauts. China has repeatedly stated that its goal is to develop a space station and perhaps a base on the moon.

View: Full Article | Source: Discovery Channel