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Lift-off for China space mission | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
China has launched its third manned space mission - which is to feature the country's first spacewalk. | |
The Shenzhou VII capsule launched atop a Long-March II-F rocket from the Jiuquan spaceport in Gansu province in the northwest of China. | |
The 70-hour flight will include a spacewalk undertaken by 42-year-old fighter pilot Zhai Zhigang. | |
Mr Zhai is joined on the mission by two other "yuhangyuan" (astronauts) - Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng. | |
The rocket lit up the darkness as it blasted off from Jiuquan at 2110 Beijing Time (1310). | |
China's president Hu Jintao met the three astronauts before the lift-off, wishing them success on the nation's riskiest space mission yet. | |
The rocket will put the Shenzhou capsule in a near-circular orbit more than 300km above the Earth. | |
Mr Zhai will conduct his extra-vehicular activity (EVA) on either Friday or Saturday. 1958: Base for spaceflights built at Jiuquan, in Gobi desertApril 1970: China launches its first satellite into space1990-2002: Shenzhou I-IV are launched to develop systems Oct 2003: The first manned space mission launches on Shenzhou VOct 2005: The Shenzhou VI mission takes two men into space Oct 2007: Chang'e-1 orbiter sent on unmanned mission to the Moon | Mr Zhai will conduct his extra-vehicular activity (EVA) on either Friday or Saturday. 1958: Base for spaceflights built at Jiuquan, in Gobi desertApril 1970: China launches its first satellite into space1990-2002: Shenzhou I-IV are launched to develop systems Oct 2003: The first manned space mission launches on Shenzhou VOct 2005: The Shenzhou VI mission takes two men into space Oct 2007: Chang'e-1 orbiter sent on unmanned mission to the Moon |
He will retrieve an externally mounted experiment and oversee the release of a satellite. | He will retrieve an externally mounted experiment and oversee the release of a satellite. |
At the end of the mission, the Shenzhou re-entry capsule will target a landing in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. | At the end of the mission, the Shenzhou re-entry capsule will target a landing in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. |
Dr Roger Launius, senior curator at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, told BBC News: "It is a demonstration of technological virtuosity. It's a method of showing the world they are second to none - which is a very important objective for [China]." | |
China became only the third nation after the United States and Russia to independently put a man in space when Yang Liwei, another fighter pilot, went into orbit on the Shenzhou V mission in October 2003. | China became only the third nation after the United States and Russia to independently put a man in space when Yang Liwei, another fighter pilot, went into orbit on the Shenzhou V mission in October 2003. |
Two years later, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng completed a five-day flight on Shenzhou VI. | Two years later, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng completed a five-day flight on Shenzhou VI. |
According to the Associated Press, China's official news agency posted an article on its website prior to the lift-off that was written as if Shenzhou VII had already been launched into space. | |
The article reportedly carried a date of 27 September and came complete with a dialogue between the astronauts. | |
Chinese media report that this latest mission is the "most critical step" in the country's "three-step" space programme. | |
These stages are: sending a human into orbit, docking spacecraft together to form a small laboratory and, ultimately, building a large space station. | These stages are: sending a human into orbit, docking spacecraft together to form a small laboratory and, ultimately, building a large space station. |
The Shenzhou VIII and IX missions are expected to help set up a space laboratory complex in 2010. | The Shenzhou VIII and IX missions are expected to help set up a space laboratory complex in 2010. |
China launched an unmanned Moon probe last year about one month after rival Japan blasted its own lunar orbiter into space. | China launched an unmanned Moon probe last year about one month after rival Japan blasted its own lunar orbiter into space. |
Crowds turned out to see the Long-March II-F rocket move to the launch pad | Crowds turned out to see the Long-March II-F rocket move to the launch pad |