Shenzhou 7

Shenzhou 7 was a manned space mission of the People's Republic of China. The rocket was launched on 25 September 2008. It was the third manned flight of a Shenzhou spacecraft and the seventh in the Shenzhou program. For the first time in the history of Chinese spaceflight, a spacewalk took place as part of this mission.

Team

• Zhai Zhigang, ( first space flight ) ( commander)
• Liu Boming, ( first space flight )
• Jing Haipeng, ( first space flight )

Reserve team

• Chen Quan, commander
• Fei Junlong
• Never Haisheng

Mission overview

The main task in this mission of China was the first exit into space. Zhai Zhigang was on September 27, for almost 14 minutes outside of the spaceship. Here, the orbital part of the space ship was used as a lock. The exit was transferred by several outboard -mounted cameras.

There were also carried out experiments and simple installation work in weightless space. First, the space suits were tested with open hatches within the orbital module. Only then was the departure of Zhai Zhigang from the spaceship, where Liu Boming remained in the orbital module to intervene in case of problems can. Jing Haipeng remained in the pressurized lunar module to monitor the systems and the exit itself.

As China Daily reports additionally, the successful flight of Shenzhou 7 is a prerequisite for docking of two manned ships next year, as part of the Shenzhou -8 and Shenzhou -9 mission and the testing of an orbital laboratories in the next year ( Shenzhou 10).

Preparations

20 September 2008 reported the Chinese news agency Xinhua that the spacecraft Shenzhou 7 was loaded after the complete fueling the rocket from a Chang Zheng IIF among other food, drinking water and traditional Chinese medicine and have the final launch preparation now begun. Overall, have the rocket with rescue system and the spacecraft is now a total height of 58.3 meters.

The final dress rehearsal took place on 23 September. Scientists had the ignition of the engines and the " movements of the capsule during the flight " simulated, reports the Xinhua news agency. In addition, they had tested the observation, control, and communication systems of the starting center in northwest China. A similar sample already took place the day before. According to the chief engineer Cui Jijun was doing " everything went smoothly ". Until the start of the spaceship no further changes to the settings have been made.

Mission History

September 25 - 1st Mission Day

After a long speech by Chinese President Hu Jintao, the crew boarded their capsule at 18:28 local time clock. At 21:10 clock started the Long March 2F carrier rocket with three astronauts and brought them into orbit. The solar panels of the service module deployed shortly thereafter.

September 26 - 2nd Mission Day

On the second day of the mission was placed in a nearly circular with a two-minute firing of the orbital thrusters the spacecraft from the slightly elliptical orbit. After the taikonauts had opened the hatch to the orbital part, this was boarded and started to unpack the space suits, to assemble and trial basis to create. Since this could not be trained on the earth under gravity, it was made ​​up.

27 September - 3 Mission Day

At 08:44 UTC clock Zhai Zhigang left the spacecraft by about 80 cm opening of the orbital module at the front end of Shenzhou 7 Thus he was the first Chinese who completed a spacewalk. Liu Boming assisted Zhai and handed him through the opening a Chinese flag, but without even leaving the spaceship. Jing Haipeng oversaw the EVAs from the landing module, which retained the normal air pressure during the exit. Zhai wore a Chinese self-developed Feitian space suit, while Liu was wearing a Russian Orlan spacesuit. Cameras in and outside the spacecraft transmitted the images of the event live on the earth. Both astronauts were connected to a safety line to the spaceship, Zhai maneuvered through handles on the outside of the orbital module and mounted an experiment from the outside on Shenzhou 7. Clock at 8:58 UTC, the exit was officially ended and Zhai then closed the hatch of the orbital module. In the next hour, the air pressure of the orbital module was again increased and aligned with the landing of the module. In addition, a small satellite was exposed, the recorded images of Shenzhou 7 at departure.

September 28 - 4th Mission Day

The crew landed safely in Inner Mongolia.