China aims to walk in space

CHINA hopes to conduct a space walk in 2007 and might recruit women into its next group of astronaut candidates, a senior space programme official said yesterday following the safe completion of the nation’s second manned mission.

The Shenzhou 6 flight ended the first stage of China’s plan, which focused on development of space vehicles, said director of the China Space Engineering Office Tang Xianming.

The next stage focuses on developing ways for astronauts to walk in space and the ability to rendezvous and dock with other spacecraft, he said.

“Our estimate is that around 2007 we will be able to achieve extravehicular activity by our astronauts and they will walk in space.”

Tang said he also expected to see female Chinese astronauts “in the not-too-distant future”.

“At present, we do not have women participants among our candidates,” he said. “But according to our development programme and plans for manned space engineering, for the next round of selections we might consider having female astronauts.”

The Shenzhou 6 capsule carrying astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng landed before dawn yesterday by parachute in China’s northern grasslands after a five-day mission.

State television showed the astronauts climbing out of their kettle-shaped capsule with the help of two technicians and clambering down a ladder in the darkness. They smiled, waved to the cheering ground crew and accepted bouquets of flowers.

“I want to thank the people for their love and care. Thank you very much,” Fei said.

The country’s No 2 leader Wu Bangguo, who watched the landing from the Beijing mission control, declared the flight a success.

“This will further improve the country’s international status and national strength,” Wu said in a brief speech to technicians.

Shenzhou 6 flew two million miles in 115 hours and 32 minutes in space, the official Xinhua News Agency said.