Shenzhou 5
 Shenzhou 5 spacecraft mockup and parachute displayed at theNational Museum of China | |
| Operator | CMSA |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 2003-045A |
| SATCATno. | 28043 |
| Mission duration | 21 hours, 22 minutes, 45 seconds |
| Orbits completed | 14 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Shenzhou |
| Launch mass | 7,790 kilograms (17,170 lb) |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 1 |
| Members | Yang Liwei |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 15 October 2003, 01:00:03UTC |
| Rocket | Long March 2F |
| Launch site | JiuquanLA-4/SLS-1 |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | 15 October 2003, 22:22:48UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 332 kilometers (206 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 336 kilometers (209 mi) |
| Inclination | 42.4 degrees |
| Period | 91.2 minutes |
 Yang Liwei | |
Shenzhou 5(Chinese:Thần chu ngũ hào;pinyin:Shénzhōu Wǔ Hào,see§ Etymology) was the firsthuman spaceflightmission of theChinese space program,launched on 15 October 2003. TheShenzhouspacecraft was launched on aLong March 2Flaunch vehicle. There had been four previous flights of uncrewed Shenzhou missions since 1999. China became the third country in the world to have independent human spaceflight capability after theSoviet Union(later, Russia) and the United States.
Crew
[edit]| Position | Crew member | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander |  Yang LiweiOnly spaceflight | |
Mission parameters
[edit]- Mass:7,840 kg[1]
- Perigee:332 km[2]
- Apogee:336 km[2]
- Inclination:42.4°[2]
- Period:91.2 minutes[2]
- NSSDC ID:2003-045A[2]
Mission highlights
[edit]Shenzhou 5 was launched at 09:00 (UTC+08:00) fromJiuquan Satellite Launch Center,a launch base in theGobi DesertinGansuprovince, enteringorbit343 kilometres (213 mi) above Earth at 09:10 (UTC+08:00) withastronautYang Liwei,a 38-year-old lieutenant colonel in thePeople's Liberation Armyand former fighter pilot. Thespace launchmade China the third country to independently launch a person intoouter space,after theSoviet Unionand the United States. The launch of the Shenzhou was the result of a crewed space program which began in 1992.[3]
Neither the launch nor thereentrywas televised live, but the time of both launch and reentry had been widely announced beforehand, and news appeared onChina Central Televisionwithin minutes after both events.
Orbital spaceflight
[edit]
The Shenzhou spacecraft made 14 orbits and landed 21 hours after launch. It reenteredEarth's atmosphereat 06:04 (UTC+08:00) on 16 October 2003 (22:04 UTC 15 Oct 2003), its parachute opened normally and the astronaut said he was feeling fine. The landing happened at 06:28 (UTC+08:00), just 4.8 km (3.0 mi) from the planned landing site inInner Mongolia,according to the government. Theorbital moduleof the spacecraft stayed in orbit; it continued with automated experiments until 16 March 2004 and decayed on 30 May.[4]
PremierWen Jiabaocongratulated the country's first person in space after his safe return to Earth. Yang emerged from thereentry capsuleabout 15 minutes later and waved to members of the recovery team.[5]
TheBeijing Aerospace Command and Control Centerlater declared China's first crewed spacecraft mission to be successful after Yang Liwei emerged from his capsule.[5]
Yang's experience in space
[edit]During the flight Yang worediapers.When questioned about his experience aboard Shenzhou 5, he stated "Better not to piss in diaper...Baby doesn't like it, neither does an adult."[6]
In addition, Yang reported abnormal vibrations that appeared 120 seconds after launch (pogo oscillation), which he described as "very uncomfortable".[7]As a consequence, corrective measures were taken to the design of the followingCZ-2Fcarrier rocket for theShenzhou 6flight.[7]
Politics
[edit]The launch was widely heralded in the official Chinese state media with newspapers devoting far more space to the launch than any recent event. While the Chinese media portrayed the launch as a triumph for Chinese science and technology, it has also been pointed out in both Chinese and Western media that Yang Liwei showed theflag of the United Nationsin addition to theflag of the People's Republic of China.[8][9]The state media also reported that crop seeds fromTaiwanwere brought aboard the spacecraft.[10]Both the Chief Executives ofHong KongandMacausent letters congratulating all the people involved in the mission and also the central government.[11][12]
General SecretaryandPresidentHu Jintao,in an official celebration at theGreat Hall of the People,hailed China's success in launching its first crewed spacecraft into orbit, describing it as "an honour for our great motherland, an indicator for the initial victory of the country's first crewed space flight and for an historic step taken by the Chinese people in their endeavor to surmount the peak of the world's science and technology".[13]
Hu added, "The Party and the people will never forget those who have set up this outstanding merit in the space industry for the motherland, the people and the nation". He also expressed congratulations and respect to specialists and people who have contributed to China's space mission development on behalf of theCPC Central Committee,theState Counciland theCentral Military Commission.[13]
The launch was met with praise from around the world. Japanese Prime MinisterJunichiro Koizumicalled the launch "a great feat".[14]United States PresidentGeorge W. Bushcongratulated Chinese President Hu and wished China continued success.[15]A spokesperson for theUnited States Department of Statesaid that the United States wished to "applaud China's success in becoming only the third country to launch people into space".[16]NASA AdministratorSean O'Keefecalled Shenzhou 5 an "important achievement in human exploration" and wished China "a continued safe human space flight program".[15]
The spacecraft has since featured prominently in festivities and celebrations not only in China but also in foreign countries, such as official North Korean commemorative stamps showing the first Chinese crewed spacecraft alongside North Korea's first satelliteKwangmyŏngsŏng-1.[17]
Gallery
[edit]-
Shenzhou 5 return capsule andspace suitdisplayed at theNational Museum of China -
Shenzhou 5 space suit worn byYang Liweidisplayed at the National Museum of China -
Shenzhou 5 space suit worn by Yang Liwei displayed at the National Museum of China -
The space suit worn by Shenzhou 5 crew member Yang Liwei on display -
Mockup of the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft -
Early models of the Shenzhou spacecraft (I-VI) structure, the forward orbital module with dual solar panels
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^Gregersen, Erik (23 June 2021)."Shenzhou".Encyclopædia Britannica.Archivedfrom the original on 26 December 2021.Retrieved26 December2021.
- ^abcde"B. Text of Launch Announcements".SPACEWARN Bulletin.No. 600.National Space Science Data Center;World Data Center for Satellite Information.1 November 2003.Archivedfrom the original on 22 October 2021.Retrieved26 December2021.
- ^"Phổ tả hàng thiên mộng đích thiên chương -- đảng trung ương thôi tiến tái nhân hàng thiên công trình kỷ thật".GOV.cn(in Chinese).Xinhua News Agency.25 July 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 14 July 2021.Retrieved14 July2021.
- ^Zimmer, Harro (30 May 2004)."Shenzou OM decayed".SeeSat-L.Archivedfrom the original on 4 July 2016.Retrieved17 October2004.
- ^ab"Thần chu ngũ hào tái nhân hàng thiên phi hành nhậm vụ thời gian biểu".China Manned Space(in Chinese). 17 September 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 12 July 2021.Retrieved12 July2021.
- ^"Better not to piss in diaper in space, says China's first spaceman".People's Daily.Xinhua News Agency.20 July 2006. Archived fromthe originalon 25 January 2020.Retrieved5 October2008.
- ^ab""Thần thất" vận tái hỏa tiễn hoàn thành tổng trang hòa xuất hán trắc thí kim tương xuất chinh ".China News Network(in Chinese).China News Service.19 July 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 4 August 2008.Retrieved19 July2008.
- ^"Hàng thiên viên dương lợi vĩ tại phi thuyền trung triển kỳ trung quốc quốc kỳ hòa liên hợp quốc kỳ".People's Daily(in Chinese). 16 October 2003. Archived fromthe originalon 24 March 2012.Retrieved2 October2008.
- ^"Chinese Astronauts Begin Training For Spacewalk".Space Daily.Xinhua News Agency.19 July 2007.Archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2019.Retrieved2 October2008.
- ^""Thần chu" ngũ hào tái nhân phi thuyền thành công đáp tái đài loan nông tác vật chủng tử ".People's Daily(in Chinese). 21 October 2003. Archived fromthe originalon 24 March 2012.Retrieved2 October2008.
- ^"HK chief executive's congratulation on Shenzhou-5 successful launch".People's Daily.16 October 2003.Retrieved11 September2024.
- ^"Macao Chief Executive congratulates motherland on breakthrough in space technology".People's Daily.16 October 2003.Archivedfrom the original on 26 September 2022.Retrieved26 September2022.
- ^ab"Khánh chúc ngã quốc thủ thứ tái nhân hàng thiên phi hành viên mãn thành công".Zhejiang Daily(in Chinese). 8 November 2003.Archivedfrom the original on 13 February 2012.Retrieved2 October2008– viaSina News.
- ^"World Leaders Congratulate China's Space Mission Success".China Internet Information Center.Xinhua News Agency.16 October 2003.Archivedfrom the original on 23 November 2020.Retrieved26 December2021.
- ^abSmith, Marcia S. (18 October 2005).China's Space Program: An Overview(PDF)(Report). CRS Report for Congress.Congressional Research Service;Library of Congress.Archived(PDF)from the original on 14 November 2020.Retrieved9 December2022– viaFederation of American Scientists.
- ^Boucher, Richard(15 October 2003)."Daily Press Briefing for October 15 -- Transcript".state.gov.Office of Electronic Information,Bureau of Public Affairs.Archivedfrom the original on 23 November 2020.Retrieved26 December2021.
- ^"Triều tiên 6 nguyệt 18 nhật phát hành hồ cẩm đào, ôn gia bảo đẳng trung quốc lĩnh đạo nhân đích bưu phiếu".qlstamp.com(in Chinese). 16 June 2004.Archivedfrom the original on 15 May 2008.Retrieved19 September2008.
External links
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