China has announced it will carry out a manned space flight at some point in the middle of June.
A rocket carrying the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft has been moved to a launch pad in the north-west of the country.
According to state news agency Xinhua, it will carry three astronauts - possibly including a woman - to the Taingong 1 space station module.
This will be China's fourth manned space flight and its first since 2008.
It became only the third country to independently send a man into space in 2003.
Stellar plansLast year, China completed a complicated space docking manoeuvre when an unmanned craft docked with the Taingong 1, or "Heavenly Body", by remote control.
The astronauts onboard the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft will also dock with the Taingong 1 - an experimental module currently orbiting Earth - and carry out scientific experiments on board.
Xinhua reported that Niu Hongguang, deputy commander-in-chief of China's manned space programme, said the crew "might include female astronauts".
The mission is part of China's programme to develop a full orbiting space station.
Beijing is planning to complete the 60-tonne manned space station by 2020.
China was previously turned away from the International Space Station, a much bigger project run by 16 nations, reportedly after objections from the United States.
tornadoes mitch hedberg secret service scandal shea weber greystone sidney crosby at the drive in
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.