Spaceflight

Mission China’s second manned spaceflight was scheduled to end on 17 October with the return of the two-man spacecraft Shenzou 6 from five days in orbit. Shenzou 6 was launched from Jiuquan on 12 October on a Long March 2F, with a crew of two air force pilots, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng. The crew worked aboard the attached orbital module for the first time. Shenzhou 5 flew in October 2003, carrying China’s first astronaut, Yang Lewei, on a 21h mission. Shenzou 7 is expected to feature China’s first spacewalk and the eighth flight, possibly in 2008, is expected to dock with the orbital module to be left in space by Shenzou 7.