Manned space programme rising

Last updated 11:06 04/03/2013
China Rocket
LIFTOFF: The Chinese space programme is advancing with further manned spacecraft launches planned. Pictured: China launches a satellite into space.

Relevant offers


The Shenzhou 10 spacecraft will take flight sometime between June and August, the country's manned space programme said.

The craft would deliver its crew to the Tiangong 1, where the trio would spend two weeks conducting tests of the station's docking system and its systems for supporting life and carrying out scientific work.


China has been extremely cautious and methodical in its manned missions, while hoping to avoid accidents and loss of life that could tarnish one of the nation's most successful and prestigious scientific and engineering undertakings.

The station was to be replaced in about 2020 with a permanent space station that would weigh about 60 tons, slightly smaller than Nasa's Skylab of the 1970s and about one-sixth the size of the 16-nation International Space Station.

China was barred from participating in the International Space Station, largely on objections from the United States over political differences and the Chinese programme's close military links.

China's ambitious space goals also included plans for sending a rover to the Moon, possibly followed by a manned lunar mission.

China's manned space programme launched its first astronaut, Yang Liwei, into space in 2003, becoming the third nation after Russia and the US to achieve the feat. The upcoming mission would be China's fifth manned space flight.


Ad Feedback

- AP

Special offers
Opinion poll

What will be the main motivation for humanity's future space endeavours?

Quest for alien life

Making money

Human spirit of exploration

To escape an ailing Earth

China vs the rest space race

Vote Result

Related story: (See story)

Featured Promotions

Sponsored Content

In Our Nature blog

In Our Nature, with Nicola Toki

The cost of losing nature