 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Shenzhou VII Spaceship Airlock Module, Spacesuit Pass Initial Ground Tests
Beijing (XNA) Feb 22, 2008 China has passed initial ground tests for its Shenzhou VII spaceship airlock module and an extravehicular spacesuit, Thursday's China daily quoted a top scientist as saying. "Both the airlock module and the extravehicular spacesuit passed the tests, which simulated the zero-gravity environment of space," said Yang Baohua, head of the China Academy of Space Technology. "This boosts our confidence in the spacewalk," he said. The airlock module and extravehicular spacesuit are critical for the mission and their design are challenging for the Chinese scientists. The airlock is a pressure chamber linking the main body of the spacecraft to the outside. It is a complex piece of equipment but was not required on the previous six Shenzhou space flights, according to Yang. Similarly, the extravehicular spacesuit, developed by several other scientific institutes, is technologically more demanding than the intra-vehicular spacesuits worn by astronauts on earlier missions. It must protect astronauts from dramatic temperature changes and radiation in space, as well as provide them with food, oxygen and equipment to communicate with the spaceship, experts said. Currently, fourteen candidates are undergoing training for the Shenzhou VII mission, including China's first astronaut Yang Liwei, who was aboard Shenzhou V in 2003. But the final three on board have not been decided. The spacewalk mission is expected to be broadcast live on television. Yang Baohua said the spaceship's re-entry module is the largest in the world in terms of its available space. Once it returns to Earth, the orbital module will remain in space to carry out experiments. A successful spacewalk mission will lay the foundation for a space laboratory and space station, he said. China Academy of Space technology has designed most of China's satellites, including the Shenzhou spaceships. Although the exact date has not set for the spacewalk, the Shenzhou VII will be launched this year from Jiuquan, Gansu province.
Source: Xinhua News Agency Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links The Chinese Space Program - News, Policy and Technology China News from SinoDaily.com
China set to launch record number of spacecraft in 2008: report
Beijing (AFP) Feb 19, 2008China will launch a record number of spacecraft this year, state media reported Tuesday, amid a rise in tensions among world powers over the militarisation of space. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
