China counts down to its riskiest space mission yet

CHINA: China counted down Thursday to its third manned space mission which for the first time will include a space walk — a feat as risky as it is prestigious for the rising Asian power.

Zhai Zhigang, an airforce colonel who grew up in abject poverty in China’s bleak northeast, is expected to carry out the 30-minute space walk Friday or more likely Saturday, according to state media.

The Long March 2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou VII spacecraft is scheduled to blast off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China between 9:07pm and 10:27pm (1307 and 1427 GMT) Thursday.

Its mission: a 68-hour journey to space and back, including the walk while in orbit 373 kilometres (230 miles) above Earth.

“We have the confidence, the determination and the ability to take the Chinese people’s first steps into space,” said one of the three astronauts, Jing Haipeng, referring to the space walk.

Getting comfortable with the art of spacewalking is a crucial next step in China’s most immediate extra-terrestrial ambition: to build a permanent space lab.

By 2010 two more unmanned craft will have been sent up, as well as another manned spaceship with a crew of three to start work on the lab, according to the China Daily.

Vice President Xi Jinping — widely seen as China’s likely next leader when political power changes hands in four years — was due to meet the astronauts two and a half hours before take-off, the China Daily said.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said the mission was part of China’s effort to “explore and make peaceful use of outer space.”

“We believe this will further promote our space flight technology and make a contribution to the peaceful use of outer space for all human beings. We wish the Shenzhou VII mission a complete success,” he said.

JIUQUAN, Thursday, AFP