China successfully sends first crew to its Space station

Shenzhou-12 blasted-off at from Jiuquan launch centre in China's Gobi desert

Making another powerful stride into space, China today sent its first space crew with a mandate for to test and maintain the systems, conduct spacewalks and undertake scientific experiments on its mint fresh space station, Tiangong (Heavenly Palace).

The crew comprising of three astronauts were today sent through Shenzhou-12, a Long March-2F rocket. for the space station, where they will spend three months. The much publicised lift-off happened at 9:22am local time from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwest China's Gobi desert.

The televised blast-off was spectacular with the rocket rising in clouds of smoke against a clear blue sky. It took hardly 10 minutes after the launch for it to reach its designated orbit and the space craft separated from the rocket.

Live feed from inside the spacecraft, with the three astronauts lifting their helmet visors, smiling and waving will be imprinted in many for years to come. Cameras outside the craft were simultaneously broadcasting live images of the Earth below.

"According to reports from the Beijing aerospace control centre, the Long March-2F rocket has sent the Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft to the preset orbit," said Zhang Zhifen, director of the Jiuquan satellite launch centre. Zhifen added, “The solar panels unfolded successfully and now we declare the Shenzhou-12 mission a complete success."

The crewed mission, first in nearly five years, is headed by Nie Haisheng, a much-decorated air force pilot from People's Liberation Army. “It feels great,” Nie said after reaching the near-Earth orbit. He has already participated in two space missions before this. The other two members are also members of the military.

The spacecraft is to dock with the Tianhe main section of the space station, which was placed in orbit as recently as April 29. The module has separate living spaces for each of them, a treadmill, and a communication centre for emails and video calling facility with ground control.

The core Tianhe module is 16.6 metres long and 4.2 metres across at its widest point. Inside, the astronauts will have to test equipment and technology new to not only China’s space programme but also the world. Some technology, including ion thrusters – a kind of electric propulsion – has never been used before in a manned space flight.

The module has numerous tools to help ease the astronauts’ workload, including a giant robotic arm that can move to virtually any location on the space station’s surface. It can pass a tool or part to an astronaut, or carry him or her from one place to another.

The Chinese spacesuits also have some new features so the crew feel more comfortable and their movements are easier.

The launch much publicised by the government, represents a matter of huge prestige, as the country prepares to mark the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1 with a massive campaign.

Two vice-premiers with responsibility for science and technology, Han Zheng and Liu He, attended the launch event at the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Centre.

In preparation for the mission, the crew has undergone a rigorous regime of more than 6,000 hours of training, including hundreds of underwater somersaults in full space gear.

After this, the Chinese space agency is planning 10 more launches through to the end of next year, three of which will be manned missions, delivering two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne space station, supplies and crew members.

Many experts agree that China's space ambitions have been fueled by a US ban on its astronauts on the International Space Station, a collaboration between the United States, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan. Tiangong will be much smaller than the ISS and will outlive the ISS.

China’s astronauts have trained with their counterparts in Europe to work together on the Chinese space station. China has also signed a contract with Russia to jointly engage in manned space activities and build a base on the moon.

China has said it will help developing countries train their own astronauts and will welcome them to its space station.