China Plans First-Ever Space Walk

(AP)  China will launch its third manned space mission in late September, featuring its first-ever space walk, a state news agency said.

The Shenzhou 7 launch is to take place between Sept. 25 and 30, the official Xinhua News Agency reported late Saturday.

The spacecraft will be launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu province, the agency said, citing a spokesman from the center.

It will carry three astronauts into space, one of whom will conduct a space walk, the report said, citing Zhao Changxi, a senior scientist with the project.

The space walk will be broadcast live using cameras mounted on the inside and outside of the spacecraft, Xinhua said.

In 2003, China became the third country in the world - along with the United States and Russia - to send a human into orbit. It followed with a two-man mission in 2005.

China launched a moon probe last year about one month after rival Japan blasted its own lunar orbiter into space.

[pensacola98]

When the Russians first walked into space, the spacesuit inflated to dimensions that didn''t allow the cosmonaut to re-enter the capsule without deflating his suit and decompressing his life support environment to dangerously low levels and quickly. He nearly died, but the success was applauded.

When the USA did their first spacewalk, the drama was less eventful, but articles left in the cabin were drifting out, showing the world that we needed to be more tidy before opening the door to space, for face losing tools, checklists, or an astronaut''s glove.

If the Chinese make their spacewalk without incident, it will be a great confidence builder for them. The next 20 years for the Chinese will be quite exciting as they follow the footsteps of other nations. The defense missile shield is on their minds and for a very good reason, because they understand their proximity to nations with nuclear weapons and desire adequate defense from it.

[lambor59]

When will they open a Chinese buffet in space?

[talkingham]

No jackazz getoff, they bought it at Walmart just like everything else made in China and sold in the US.

[missingamerica]

hey did China steal their space technology like they stole all of the other technology they now have? If so I hope someone was smart enough to plant bad info. It would be funny if their space program fell on it''s face.

Posted by getoffmine at 11:34 AM : Sep 08, 2008

lolll...do not jump to conclusions.

The Republicans - operating as usual with their eyes blinded by their greed - went whole hog on the "free trade" thing, first allowing the export and then even the manufacture of massive amounts of dual use technology in China.

Is like this:

America had it all, and then the Republicans and America''s "free traders" sold us out.

[thevicar2]

All of the chinese friends that I have are honest hard working good people ------------------------------------------------------ Posted by pollroller1


Thats because they live in the United States!!!

[pollroller1]

All of the chinese friends that I have are honest hard working good people.

[choiceshaveconsequences]

But will it be the one with the pretty teeth?

[pensacola98]

The Chinese are not out to destroy anyone. Only Christian Evangelists hate them because they practice a form of aetheisism. In truth, we have many aetheists here who are not anti-social, anarchistic or pursue subversive activities.

The Chinese are pursuing a migration to higher technologies on their own, so they can compete globally on the economic markets, and defend their country against the budding threats from their western border.

Anti-Chinese sentiment runs high in this country, but is unjustified. They helped our country industrialize and today every Chinese citizen works 6-1/2 days each week. They are pluralistic minded people, who desire good relations and command respect for their accomplishments.

They are not planning to take over the world. In their migration to a free-market economy, even the Chinese understand that capitalism requires independant trading partners to thrive. There is no economic model that ever proved a world-dominant nation could control all the trade in the world and achieve a perfect economy for every person.

The Communist economic system was their great experiment and proved a perfect stagnant economy with no improvement in life quality was possible for everyone. The defunct USSR also proved this and attained similar results. China doesn''t want to follow the footsteps of their Russian neighbors.

[thevicar2]

China and its people are like one big ant farm ---------------------------- Posted by airboatboy



Yeah, but if they ever figure out how to ALL jump up at the exact same time...WE ARE DOOMED!!!

[thevicar2]

THIS is the country that is poised to Crush, Kill, Destroy the United States???

We were out walking in space long before China was a mere twinkle in its daddies eye!!!