William Atkins
Sunday, 28 September 2008 20:17
Science -
Space
Page 1 of 2
The Shenzhou VII (Shenzhou-7) re-entry module parachuted safety back to Earth with its three taikonauts (Chinese astronauts) onboard after making history with the first Chinese spacewalk.
The mission was launched on September 25, 2008, at 9:10 p.m. local time on a Long March 2F (CZ-2F) launch vehicle, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu.
The rocket lifted the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit of 124 by 205 miles (200 by 330 kilometers), with an inclination of 42.4 degrees. The spacecraft then nearly circularized its orbit at 205 by 209 miles (330 by 336 kilometers).
On Saturday, the highlight of the mission was conducted: the first spacewalk for the Chinese.
It was shown live on the China Central Television (CCTV), the People’s Republic of China’s state-owned television station.
Video of the spacewalk is found on its
website, along with a video of them exiting their spacecraft after they landed and various photographs and articles of the mission.
On Sunday, September 28, 2008, the three astronauts landed in the northern grasslands of China. Their landing time was approximately 5:39 p.m. local time (0939 UTC) on Sunday.
The ChinaDaily.com.cn article “
Shenzhou VII spaceship lands safely” shows a picture of the 1,200 square-yard (1,000 square-meter) orange-and-red striped parachute as it slowed the spacecraft to its final landing spot at Siziwang Banner ("county") in central Inner Mongolia, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of the capital of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot.
Read page two for the first words spoken by the first Chinese spacewalker upon returning home.
