China Delays Its Third Manned Space Mission, Plans a Spacewalk

China has postponed its third manned space mission by almost half a year and now it will be launching the Shenzhou 7 craft in 2008. A senior consultant to the country’s space program said three astronauts would man the mission and include a spacewalk, a first for China’s space program.

Huang Chunping, chief consultant for China’s manned launching vehicle system said that they need more time for the preparations for the mission and that there was nothing wrong.

The scientists have made safety and reliability their priority rather than time. This postponement by six months will give ample time to the scientists to create a space suit that can withstand a spacewalk.

It will take some time for China to complete various tests and trials to ensure that its space mission will succeed. Chinese scientists are building a "water pool" and a weightless environment testing facility to train astronauts for extra-vehicular activities.
Deputy Chief Commander of China’s Manned Space Program Zhang Qingwei said, "To secure the reliability as well as safety of astronauts, it is worthwhile for us to spend more time and readjust our initial plans."

In the past china has launched two successful space missions abroad Shenzhou-5 and Shenzhou-6. Yang Liwei became the first Chinese to make a 21-hour orbital tour aboard Shenzhou-5 in October 2003.

Shenzhou-6, which was launched in October 2005, had two astronauts abroad and orbited the earth for five days.

The Shenzhou-7 which is quiet similar to Shenzhou-6 in shape and size is expected to carry three astronauts who will be selected from the same pool of 14 fighter-jet-turned pilots from which China’s first three astronauts -Yang Liwei, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng - were chosen.

Although not in the Shenzhou VII, China plans to send onboard engineers, doctors and scientists including women as well in its future space missions.