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Shenzhou VI set to blast off this morning
(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2005-10-12 05:42
After months of anticipation and speculation, it's official: Two Chinese
astronauts - Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng are scheduled to start orbiting the
Earth aboard the Shenzhou VI spacecraft this morning.
Fei Junlong (left), Nie Haisheng have
been selected to pilot the Shenzhou VI spacecraft. China plans to
launch its 2nd manned space mission this morning.
[Xinhua] |
The spacecraft will blast off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in
Northwest China's Gansu Province for "multiple days of flights" .
The two astronauts, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, have entered the capsule of
spacecraft Shenzhou-6. They bound themselves to the seats and connected the
wires of their spacesuits to the spacecraft, among other preparations for the
launch, Xinhua News Agency said.
In the next few days of space flight, they will, for the first time, move
from the return module into the orbital module of the 9.2-meter-long Shenzhou-6,
where some laboratory tests will be conducted.
The Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center has got ready for the launch
and everything was going on well.
After a rigorous screening process from a pool of 14 former fighter-jet
pilots, Fei and Nie have been chosen for today's mission.
The two are both air force pilots, like China's first spaceman Yang Liwei.
Fei, 40, is from Kunshan, East China's Jiangsu Province. He was selected as
one of the five astronaut candidates in intensified training for China's first
manned space flight -- Shenzhou-5, which blast into space in October 2003.
Nie, 41, is from Zaoyang, Central China's Hubei Province. He was selected as
one of the three finalists for Shenzhou-5. The other two were Yang Liwei and
Zhai Zhigang.
Premier Wen Jiabao had a brief meeting with the two Chinese astronauts early
Wednesday and wished them success.
In Jiuquan Tuesday, before the final result revealed, the two and 4 other
astronaut candidates made a public appearance at a press conference.
"We have the confidence and ability to fulfil this glorious task. Our only
wish is to make the mission a complete success," Fei said while Nie added: "Life
in space is full of mysteries."
Earlier reports said that if all goes according to plan, the spacecraft would
touch down at the main landing field in the central part of Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region in five days.
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