China boasted of space walk mission hours before astronauts had left the launch pad
By
Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:44 AM on 26th September 2008
China boasted about how its astronauts had begun their long-awaited space mission today hours before they even left the launch pad.
The country’s official news agency Xinhua published an article dated September 27 – two days from now – complete with an entire dialogue between the three men aboard Shenzhou 7.
The astronaut’s mission, which will feature the Communist state’s first-ever space walk, began at 2.10pm UK time when their rocket blasted into the sky from its base in Jiuquan in the northwestern Gansu province.
Chinese Central Television shows the three astronauts brace themselves as they blast off
But Xinhua’s apparent propaganda article - titled Sleepless Night On The Pacific, Sidelights On The Observation And Control Of The 30th Lap Of Shenzhou 7 Spaceship – was posted on its website more than two hours before.
A spokesman for the news agency claimed it was published accidentally due to a ‘technical error’. It has now been taken down.
The story vividly described the rocket in flight, complete with a sharply detailed dialogue between the three astronauts or ‘taikonauts’ as they are known in China.
Its author, being careful to tow the party line and put a positive spin on the ‘event’, wrote in one part: ‘“First-level measurement arrangement!”
‘After this order, signal lights all were switched on, various data show up on rows of screens, hundreds of technicians staring at the screens, without missing any slightest changes ...
‘One minute to go!’
‘Changjiang No.1 found the target!’...
The firm voice of the controller broke the silence of the whole ship.
The Shenzhou VII spacecraft lifts off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre at 9:10 pm local time
‘Now, the target is captured 12 seconds ahead of the predicted time ... "The air pressure in the cabin is normal!”
‘Ten minutes later, the ship disappears below the horizon.
‘Warm clapping and excited cheering breaks the night sky, echoing across the silent Pacific Ocean.’
But despite suffering some initial embarrassment over the article China’s third manned mission is set to be its most ambitious to date.
A 40-minute spacewalk of the leader, Zhai Zhigang will be relayed in a live broadcast on Saturday.
Experts said the 68-hour mission was a logical step towards a planned space station and possible moon landing.
Having already put people in orbit, China is planning space walks, then rendezvous and docking operations, then the deployment of a relatively modest space lab followed by a more permanent space station.
The Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao said today that China was not seeking global influence.
‘In international relations, China does not seek to build alliances or become a leader and will never do so in the future,’ he told the UN General Assembly.
Crowds gathered to watch a live broadcasting of the manned space craft launch on giant screens in Beijing
The U.S. has expressed concern about China’s rapid military build-up, but Mr Wen tried to assure world leaders China had no wish to become a military power.
‘China’s development is peaceful in nature. It will not harm anyone or pose a threat to anyone,’ he said.
John Logsdon, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, in Washington, said the space walk was a logical extension of China’s space program.
‘It’s a step-by-step development of their capability designed to have humans work in space and is a perfectly logical step,’ he said.
Astronauts Jing Haipeng, Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming were addressed by President Hu Jintao before they headed toward the Long March rocket.
‘This will be a major step forward for our country’s aerospace technology,’ he told them.
‘You can certainly fulfil this glorious and sacred task. The motherland and its people await your triumphant return.’
Officials and state media have been hailing the mission as a national triumph that will crown the successes of the Beijing Olympics.
China completed its first manned space venture in October 2003, when it joined Russia and the United States as the only countries to have sent astronauts into space.
Amazing space: Chinese astronauts (l-r) Jing Haipeng, Liu Boming and Zhai Zhigang wave to well-wishers ahead of the launch
The Communist nation then sent two more astronauts on a five-day flight on its Shenzhou VI craft in October 2005.
On this current mission the astronauts will take traditional Chinese medicine on board to treat space motion sickness.
‘It is made of more than 10 types of Chinese herbs, and has proven to be effective in improving the astronauts’ cardiovascular conditions,’ Xinhua quoted astronaut research official Li Yongzhi as saying.
But engineers overseeing the flight warned it carried risks.
Zhang Jianqi, one of the chief engineers, told Xinhua that keeping three men aloft and sending one outside the capsule would be a ‘big test’ for the country’s aerospace skills.
‘This is a big technological leap,’ he said. ‘The risks are quite high. Sending up three astronauts is a jump in both quantity and quality.’
With a name meaning ‘sacred vessel’, the Shenzhou programme is secretively run through military and government agencies and its budget is murky. In 2003, officials said it had cost 18 billion yuan (£1.3billion) up to then.
China has arrayed five satellite tracking ships to follow the craft’s journey of three days or so, and helicopters and vehicles are ready to meet it on returning to earth in Inner Mongolia.
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Comments (17)
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below?
The Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao said today that China was not seeking global influence.
Course not! "we only invaded Nepal to protect the poor Nepalese"!!! WAKE UP western world. HERE 'CHINA' not Russia; is the GREATEST THREAT OF 'ALL'
- Tommy Atkins, moscow, 26/9/2008 11:42
Judging by the fake fireworks performance at the olympics, they probably aren't even in the rocket, you'll see a grainy computer re-generation of the event. Let the cat out of the bag didn't they?
Mind you, it keeps China's people busy while the poisoned milk scandal is suppressed.....
- Arthur J, Beijing, China, 26/9/2008 10:45
I hope their rations didn't include any Chinese milk products, otherwise they will be taking stones INTO space instead of bringing something back.
- mike randall, worcester england, 26/9/2008 10:43
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