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| Chinese astronaut walks in space | Chinese astronaut walks in space |
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| A Chinese astronaut has become the first in his country's history to take a walk in space. | A Chinese astronaut has become the first in his country's history to take a walk in space. |
| In an operation broadcast live on national TV, fighter pilot Zhai Zhigang emerged from the capsule orbiting the Earth to wave a Chinese flag. | In an operation broadcast live on national TV, fighter pilot Zhai Zhigang emerged from the capsule orbiting the Earth to wave a Chinese flag. |
| Mr Zhai, 42, stayed outside the capsule for 15 minutes while his two fellow astronauts stayed in the spacecraft. | Mr Zhai, 42, stayed outside the capsule for 15 minutes while his two fellow astronauts stayed in the spacecraft. |
| The exercise is seen as key to China's ambition to build an orbiting station in the next few years. | The exercise is seen as key to China's ambition to build an orbiting station in the next few years. |
| Mr Zhai began the manoeuvre just after 1630 Beijing Time (0830 GMT) on Saturday, and completed it about 15 minutes later. | Mr Zhai began the manoeuvre just after 1630 Beijing Time (0830 GMT) on Saturday, and completed it about 15 minutes later. |
| "I'm feeling quite well. I greet the Chinese people and the people of the world," he said as he climbed out of the Shenzhou VII capsule. | "I'm feeling quite well. I greet the Chinese people and the people of the world," he said as he climbed out of the Shenzhou VII capsule. |
| For China this mission is as much about national pride as anything else James Reynolds' blog | |
| His colleague, Liu Boming, also briefly got his head out of the capsule to hand him the flag. | His colleague, Liu Boming, also briefly got his head out of the capsule to hand him the flag. |
| Mr Zhai wore a Chinese-made spacesuit thought to have cost between £5m and £20m ($10m-$40m) for the space walk. | Mr Zhai wore a Chinese-made spacesuit thought to have cost between £5m and £20m ($10m-$40m) for the space walk. |
| The "yuhangyuan" (astronaut) was tethered to the capsule with an umbilical cable. | The "yuhangyuan" (astronaut) was tethered to the capsule with an umbilical cable. |
| Mr Zhai retrieved an externally mounted experiment. | Mr Zhai retrieved an externally mounted experiment. |
| The third yuhangyuan on the mission is Jing Haipeng. | The third yuhangyuan on the mission is Jing Haipeng. |
| Leap | Leap |
| The Shenzhou VII capsule soared into orbit on a Long March II-F rocket from Jiuquan spaceport in north-west China on 25 September. | The Shenzhou VII capsule soared into orbit on a Long March II-F rocket from Jiuquan spaceport in north-west China on 25 September. |
| 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 | 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 |
| The rocket put the Shenzhou capsule in a near-circular orbit more than 300km above the Earth. | The rocket put the Shenzhou capsule in a near-circular orbit more than 300km above the Earth. |
| Earlier, Zhang Jianqi, one of the chief engineers for China's space programme, said keeping three men in the spacecraft, and then sending one outside, would be a "big test". | Earlier, Zhang Jianqi, one of the chief engineers for China's space programme, said keeping three men in the spacecraft, and then sending one outside, would be a "big test". |
| "This is a big technological leap," he told state-run news agency Xinhua. | "This is a big technological leap," he told state-run news agency Xinhua. |
| "The risks are quite high. Sending up three astronauts is a jump both in quantity and quality." | "The risks are quite high. Sending up three astronauts is a jump both in quantity and quality." |
| The ship is to release a 40kg (90lb) satellite which will circle the orbiter and beam back images to mission control. | The ship is to release a 40kg (90lb) satellite which will circle the orbiter and beam back images to mission control. |
| 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. |
| 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 news agency, Xinhua posted an article on its website prior to the lift-off that was written as if Shenzhou VII had already been launched into space. | According to the Associated Press news agency, Xinhua posted an article on its website prior to the lift-off that was written as if Shenzhou VII had already been launched into space. |
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| China's Shenzhou VII rocket blasts off | China's Shenzhou VII rocket blasts off |
| The article reportedly carried a date of 27 September and came complete with a dialogue between the astronauts. | 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. | 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. |
| SHENZHOU VII SPACECRAFT 1. Forward orbital module - crew live and work in this section, which contains scientific equipment. In future missions, this module may remain in orbit as part of a Chinese space station2. Re-entry capsule - contains seats for three crew3. Propulsion module - contains spacecraft's power unit and liquid fuel rocket system4. Solar panels - spacecraft carries one pair of solar panels5. Spacewalk - One yuhangyuan (astronaut) exits the orbital module on a tether. Another crew member stands just inside to assist in case of an emergency | SHENZHOU VII SPACECRAFT 1. Forward orbital module - crew live and work in this section, which contains scientific equipment. In future missions, this module may remain in orbit as part of a Chinese space station2. Re-entry capsule - contains seats for three crew3. Propulsion module - contains spacecraft's power unit and liquid fuel rocket system4. Solar panels - spacecraft carries one pair of solar panels5. Spacewalk - One yuhangyuan (astronaut) exits the orbital module on a tether. Another crew member stands just inside to assist in case of an emergency |