Astronauts bask in comforts of B&B back home
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-13 07:53

China's Shenzhou VI, which blasted into space on Wednesday with two astronauts on board, has been fitted out with many of the comforts of home on Earth.

The vessel, based on Russia's decades-old and well-tested Soyuz module, is a widely upgraded version of the Shenzhou V, used by China to send its first man into space for a 14-orbit, 21-hour voyage in October 2003.

The main difference lies in the Shenzhou VI's new secondary orbiter module, where astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng will sleep, eat and conduct experiments.

"This time, a food heater, dishware and a sleeping bag are available in the orbital module," chief spacecraft systems designer Zhang Bainan said.

An excrement collecting device will also be used for the first time.

Xinhua news agency said humans could fall asleep while floating in zero gravity. "But considering people's earthly habits, a sleeping bag was installed to give the astronauts the feeling of a 'bed',' it said.

Engineers have also improved safety by upgrading the booster rockets and thickening the cabin shielding and have installed a higher-capacity "black box" recorder, reports said.

Fei and Nie started the mission strapped to chairs in the main capsule but will move to the more comfortable orbital module once in stable orbit.

After an expected five days in space, they will return to the capsule and release the orbiter module before beginning re-entry.

If all goes to plan, the astronauts will return to Earth at a remote landing site in China's northern region of Inner Mongolia.

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