Spacewalk moves a step closer

By Chen Qian and Li Xinran  |   2008-6-13  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

SHENZHOU VII blasts off with three taikonauts, or astronauts, aboard in October when the first Chinese citizen will take a walk in space.

The nation's first spacewalk is scheduled to take place during its third manned space mission.

One astronaut will leave the craft for the spacewalk, a spokesman for the Manned Space Engineering Office said yesterday.

The two other astronauts will wear spacesuits to prepare for their colleague's historic walk. The office has not revealed the names of the astronauts.

The spacecraft will also release a small inspection satellite to monitor the main craft.

The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China has developed a big simulation system for training. It consists of ground equipment, surveillance devices and real-size digital rockets.

A researcher with the China Academy of Space Technology said in a previous report that the astronauts will be attached to the capsule with a cable that will be used for both communications and oxygen supply.

The office said astronauts have completed training on theory for their giant leap.

They are now receiving training to operate costumes and the cabin airlock during the spacewalk and using simulators to cause weightlessness in water as well as studying procedures for flight, spacewalks and specific missions.

Their next phase will mainly focus on outside-spacecraft activities, the office said.

The office also revealed that the Shenzhou VII has been built and other preparation work is going well.

A Long March 2F carrier rocket will be used for the mission, which will be more complex than China's previous two manned space flights.

China launched a new tracking ship on April 12 to serve the Shenzhou VII spacewalk mission.

The new ship - with the latest technology in the fields of space, maritime, meteorology, electronic, mechanics, optics, telecommunications and computer sciences - is the sister ship of the Yuanwang-5, which was put into use in September. The two vessels will play a key role in the Shenzhou VII mission.