SPACE.com -- China's First Astronaut to Take Low-Key Tour of U.N., KSC

First Chinese astronaut Yang Liwei waves as the capsule door was opened after landing on the Inner Mongolian grasslands of northern China Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003. China's first astronaut in space returned safely to Earth on Thursday when his craft toucheddown on time and as planned after 21 hours in orbit. Beijing's mission control declared the country's landmark debut flight a success. (AP Photo/Xinhua)

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	China's First Astronaut to Take Low-Key Tour of U.N., KSC By SPACE.com Staff posted: 05:00 pm ET 18 May 2004

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On Wednesday, Col. Yang Liwei, Chinas first astronaut is expected to arrive in New York to begin a multi-day tour of the United States that will bring him to the United Nations and to NASAs Kennedy Space Center, among other locations.

Yang, who made history last October by flying Chinas first manned space mission, Shenzhou-5, will reportedly meet with Secretary-General Kofi Annan tomorrow to present two UN flags he carried with him on his space flight.

On October 15, 2003, Yang displayed the smaller of the two flags, measuring 4 by 6 inches, during a live broadcast from Earth orbit. The larger, 4-by-6-foot flag was stowed aboard the Shenzhou capsule for the flight. Both flags were provided by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and were notarized as flown by the Beijing Notarization Office.

Yang will be joined on his tour by a delegation of Chinese space officials, including Mr. Su Shuangning, Deputy Chief of Chinas Manned Space Engineering Program Office. Speaking with Xinhua News Service, Su said the visit emphasized the importance China places on cooperating with the UN in the peaceful exploration of space.

"I'm willing to contribute more to the undertaking of the peaceful use and exploration of outer space, said Yang in an interview with Xinhua.

On Monday, May 24th, Yang and his delegation will tour NASAs Kennedy Space Center, a source familiar with the tour told SPACE.com. The tour was requested and organized by the Florida Spaceport Authority, lead by former astronaut Winston Scott. Neither NASA nor the Florida Space Authority would comment on Yang's trip.

Despite overtures by the Chinese government, NASA has been reticent to embark on a formal relationship with the Chinese space agency. Both NASA and the U.S. government cite technological concerns about working with the emerging nation. Following Yang's successful mission, NASA informed China that its technology was not "mature" enough for the kind of partnership the U.S. now pursues with Russia. Meanwhile the U.S. government is wary of the Chinese space program's ties to the military.

Other stops along Yangs tour were said to include Washington, DC and Houston, Texas. Specific details of his schedule were being kept quiet by Chinese authorities.

According to Xinhua, Yang will also meet with Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin during his time in the States. Aldrin's office was unavailable for comment.

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