China's unpiloted Shenzhou 3 is chalking up space mileage points, even transmitting a female voice at one point, as it whips around the Earth. Launched atop a Long March 2F booster on Monday evening (Beijing time), the craft is reported to house a crew of specially outfitted mannequins that radio back simulated heartbeats, breathing rates, and other vital signs.
The flight of Shenzhou 3 is setting the stage for China's entry into the human spaceflight business - likely a multi-passenger space trek next year.
During its ascent to orbit, the Shenzhou reportedly evaluated, for the first time, an escape system that would save a spacecraft crew in the event of a booster problem. In addition, waste gas generated by the Long March at liftoff was filtered through a new treatment system. The hardware is built to cut down on pollution at the launch site, state media said.
A series of science experiments are underway onboard the Shenzhou 3, along with tests of a ground-space telecommunications relay system to be utilized for future piloted missions of the craft. Audio and visual data, in digital form, is being transmitted from the globe-circling spaceship to ground-based and ocean-going vessels.
Scientists and engineers at the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center note that it's all smooth sailing for the Shenzhou 3. Four ocean-stationed ships -- in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans -- are part of an extensive network on Earth, carrying out tracking, data-reception, and spaceship control duties.
The flight, according to some reports, notes that the reentry section of the craft will return to Earth in the near future, perhaps at month's end. However, Shenzhou 3's orbital module is to be detached and remain in orbit for a prolonged time.
Morale booster
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, who witnessed the launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center of Gansu Province, has hailed the mission as a "new milestone" for China, according to the official People's Daily.
China's Xinhua News Agency reported that Jiang views the Shenzhou flight as a morale booster for the nation.
"This shows that the Chinese people are perfectly capable of understanding the most advanced technologies by making their own innovations and can be part of the high-tech world," Jiang said.
The mission underway is the third in a series of Shenzhou test flights: The craft's maiden voyage took place in November 1999. Shenzhou 2 followed in January 2001, although rumors have it that the craft suffered a landing accident.
Chinese space authorities have stated in the past that the country wants to develop the ability to launch humans into Earth orbit by 2005; send up its own space station; and even reach for the Moon by 2010. China has its own set of astronauts -- often called "Taikonauts" and stemming from the Chinese word for outer space -- now in training for future space travel assignments.
Not simply prestige shots
China is taking a cautious and measured build-up that will lead to that country's first piloted space mission.
Dean Cheng, Research Analyst with Project Asia at The CNA Corporation in Washington, D.C., said China is "following an eminently rational path of launching when they're sure the system will work."
"They will undoubtedly learn something new about the Shenzhou spacecraft in this mission as well, make some more modifications to the program, the craft, the launcher, etc., and prepare for Shenzhou 4," Cheng told SPACE.com.
Cheng said that China is taking seriously the building of a space-based infrastructure. That suggests that the Shenzhou flights are not simply prestige shots, he said
"The Chinese, I would venture, are not simply aiming to have a Chinese astronaut broadcast on National Day from orbit. Instead, it would seem that they are intent upon establishing a more permanent foothold in space. If that's correct, that a pretty big challenge to other spacefaring nations. If it were to happen, it would be a decent feather in the Chinese cap," Cheng said.
Arms race in space
As the Shenzhou 3 circled overhead, Chinese ambassador on disarmament, Hu Xiaodi, urged Thursday that steps must be taken to prevent the weaponization of outer space.
Hu said that the international community must act to avoid a possible arms race in space, the prospect of which is bolstered by missile defense projects and "space control" plans, he said.
According to Charles Vick, chief of the space policy division of the Federation of American Scientists in Washington, D.C., Shenzhou 3 may be carrying electronic snooping gear on the front of the craft's long life orbital module. In addition, that front section also appears to be toting a nanosat, called Chuang Xing-1, he said.
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