China Verges On First Spacewalk

3-Man Crew Successfully Launched Into Orbit; First Challenging Mission Since 2003

(AP)  China successfully launched a three-man crew into space Thursday to carry out the country's first spacewalk, beginning the nation's most challenging space mission since it first sent a person into space in 2003.

The Shenzhou 7 spacecraft, China's third manned mission, blasted off atop a Long March 2F rocket shortly after 9:00 a.m. EDT under clear night skies in northwestern China.

The spacewalk by one of the astronauts is expected to take place either on Friday or Saturday.

Underscoring the mission's heavy political overtones, Chinese President and Communist Party head Hu Jintao was shown live on state television hailing the astronauts at the launch site near the northwestern town of Jiuquan.

"You will definitely accomplish this glorious and sacred mission. The motherland and the people are looking forward to your triumphant return," Hu told the three, who were dressed in their flight suits and behind glass to avoid germs.

The mission, expected to last three to four days, is devoted almost entirely to carry out the 40-minute spacewalk.

The spacewalk is expected to help China master the technology for docking two orbiters to create China's first orbiting space station in the next few years.

The spacewalk could happen either Friday or Saturday depending on how well the astronauts adapt to weightlessness and other physical demands of their environment, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office.

The astronauts would return to Earth soon after the spacewalk, the office said.

The two astronauts who don spacesuits for the Shengzhou 7 spacewalk will be supported by Russian experts throughout the mission. Only one will actually leave the orbiter module to retrieve scientific experiments placed outside.

One of the astronauts will wear China's homemade Feitian suit, while the other will wear a Russian-made suit.

Fighter pilot Zhai Zhigang, an unsuccessful candidate for the previous two manned missions, has been touted by the official Xinhua News Agency as the leading astronaut to carry out the spacewalk.

Zhai and fellow astronauts and fighter pilots Jing Haipeng and Liu Boming - all age 42 - were introduced to journalists at news conference late Wednesday.

A decade of training together ensured effective, smooth cooperation between the three, Liu said.

"The Shenzhou 7 mission marks a historic breakthrough in China's manned space program," Zhai said. "It is a great honor for all three of us to fly the mission, and we are fully prepared for the challenge."

[hypochondric]

Any human space exploration is good exploration. We should have moon colonies by now. All those 60s Sci-Fi books were waaaay off. Well, at least we got Saddam... *sigh*

Xman and Jake, funniest comments I''ve ever read on this site btw. Cbscrash gets honorable mention.

[easeup-2009]

China is a free country, and u westerns will not understand by your fvcking stupid asslike brain. we love peace, we love freedom but no like yours.


Posted by ansonhsu at 05:34 AM : Sep 26, 2008

LOL!!! You are free to do as you''re told!!!

[inketolstoy]

"China is a free country... we love peace, we love freedom but no like yours."

Translation: Freedom to obey, peace of conformity or death. freedom to sacrifice the individual for the good of the state (a.k.a ruling individuals). Its a question of semantics, isn''t it ansonhsu.

[jake_541]

Space-wok....hahaha

[ansonhsu-2009]

REPLY:"The idea of Communist China one day putting men on the moon and planting their dirty commie rag flag on the lunar surface is sicking and disgusting!!!!!
Down with Communist China,freedom for the enslaved Chinese people. Posted by noaanhc at 09:41 PM : Sep 25, 2008"


China is a free country, and u westerns will not understand by your fvcking stupid asslike brain. we love peace, we love freedom but no like yours.

[ansonhsu-2009]

REPLY:"The idea of Communist China one day putting men on the moon and planting their dirty commie rag flag on the lunar surface is sicking and disgusting!!!!!
Down with Communist China,freedom for the enslaved Chinese people. Posted by noaanhc at 09:41 PM : Sep 25, 2008"


China is a free country, and u westerns will not understand by your fvcking stupid asslike brain. we love peace, we love freedom but no like yours.

[oneworldusa]

I wouldn''t have thought it could have made it to space with all the lead....

[noaanhc]

The idea of Communist China one day putting men on the moon and planting their dirty commie rag flag
on the lunar surface is sicking and disgusting!!!!!

Down with Communist China,freedom for the enslaved Chinese people.

[Torilin]

& some hot mustard. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Posted by XmanBorg

Hot mustard isn''t Chinese specific for Chiese food delivery. You should ask for soy sauce and fortune cookie and maybe wonton soup in the to go box. lol

[downsteamjim]

Got milk?

[willcaine]

I applaud the Chinese effort and hope that I live long enough (I''m 63) to see an international manned mission to Mars.

[joechristine]

Astronauts are just p.r. The real story is that the Chinese have a rocket that can deliver a payload into space. If they can reach space then a nuclear payload can certainly reach the United States. That should be the real story.


------------------------------------------------

Posted by koko98 at 12:35 PM : Sep 25, 2008
-----------------------------------
koko98:Don''t pretend to you know anything about China.Your guesswork is just based on assumption and the result of another guesswork from imagination of American propaganda.

[xmanborg]

Yeah for China now they can deliver the Food to the International Space Station.

2 Order of Generals Chows Chicken and some Chicken Fried Rice and 4 extra fortune cookies & some hot mustard.