Major breakthroughs in China's manned space program

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-28 23:02

BEIJING -- China's third manned space mission recorded a complete success when the three astronauts landed safe and sound in the country's northern grassland Sunday afternoon after a history-making spacewalk a day ago.

From Shenzhou-1 to Shenzhou-VII, China has made historic breakthroughs in its manned space program. Following are the major feats:

-- A launch center also for space station: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, in the desert of northwest Gansu Province, has become the nation's only manned spacecraft launch center since Shenzhou-5 blasted off in October 2003. In its latest technology update, a rocket can be assembled and tested in the vertical state and be transported along with the spacecraft vertically. The center can also be used for the launch of a space station.

-- Spacecraft with largest useable room: The Shenzhou, or "Divine Vessel", spacecraft boast the largest useable room among space vessels in the world, with a diameter of 2.5 meters in the re-entry module. The vessel is also capable of orbiter docking. Its orbital module can keep working in space for more than half a year after the re-entry module returns to earth.

-- Safest carrier rocket: The Long-March II-F rocket, which carried the Shenzhou-VII into space, has a reliability index of 0.98, the safest model in China. Developed in 1992, the rocket has successfully sent six spaceships into outer space.

-- Best taikonauts: Taikonaut Liu Boming said after returning from the landmark Shenzhou-VII mission on September 28, 2008 that Chinese taikonauts are the world's best. China selected its first 14 astronauts in 1998. They have undergone intensive, rigorous trainings and fulfilled the country's three manned space missions. The country is now technically capable of training foreign astronauts, according to chief designer of the astronaut system Chen Shanguang.

-- First visitor to space and first spacewalker: China sent its first astronaut Yang Liwei into space in 2003 in Shenzhou-5. It was followed by a two-man mission that carried Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng in 2005. Their space tour lasted five days. The trio of Shenzhou-VII taikonauts Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng orbited the earth for three days. Zhai became the first Chinese to "set foot" on the outer space on September 27, 2008. His spacewalk lasted about 20 minutes and was believed to be able to help pave the way for the country's next space mission-- the launch of a space lab or space station.

-- China-made space suit: Zhai Zhigang donned a domestically-made Feitian space suit, which cost 30 million yuan (more than 4 million US dollars), when he conducted the country's maiden spacewalk. The China-made suit special for extravehicular activity (EVA) had withstood rigorous tests in the outer space during Zhai's 20-minute stay outside the craft, and successfully protected the astronaut from various harms.