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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, April 05, 2002

Returned Module of 'Shenzhou III' Opened, Space 'Passengers' Made a Great Show

April 4, 2002 saw the returned module of "Shenzhou III" unmanned spaceship opened in Beijing and "out stepped" the "passengers" one after another from the cabin and they made a great show of themselves after a flying of over 5 million kilometers in the outer space.


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April 4, 2002 saw the returned module of "Shenzhou III" unmanned spaceship opened in Beijing and "out stepped" the "passengers" one after another from the cabin and they made a great show of themselves after a flying of over 5 million kilometers in the outer space.

In the workshop of the Beijing Space Technology Research, Manufacture and Experimentation Center of China Space Technology Research Institution heads are moving and jostling. The returned module of "Shenzhou III" under the red cover, which after a space baptism of seven days was just carried here on Thursday, seemed to be more mystic.

Previous Two Unmanned Spaceships
  • On January 10, 2001, China launched the second unmanned spaceship "Shenzhou II" which was basically identical to a manned craft. Scientists designed space life sciences, space materials, space astronomy and space physics experiments under conditions of microgravity in outer space. In Detail


  • The first experimental spacecraft "Shenzhou" was launched by "Long March" carrier rocket at 6:30 a.m. on November 20, 1999 and touched down in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 3:41 a.m. the next day. Chinese technologists for the first time assembled and tested the rocket and spaceship in a vertical way. In Detail


  • In November, 1999, Chinese President Jiang Zemin wrote the inscription "Shenzhou" for the country's first test spacecraft which successfully completed its flight.

    • At 9:00 a.m., Xu Fuxiang, President of China Space Technology Research Institution unfolded the red cover over the returned module and the "Shenzhou Passengers" filed out one in the wake of the other when the personnel opened its gate. They include the experimental equipment of microminiatured chip from the Bio-chip Engineering Research Center of Tsinghua University, Space Egg-hatching Incubator of China Science and Technology University, vaccine of Kanglemycin by Beijing Pharmaceutical Research Institution of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and a dozen of seeds for seedless tubal grapevine and evergreen ivies and so on sent by several other units concerned.

    According to the experts, what is worth of special mentioning is that among the "passengers" some seeds of tree-plum renowned as king of fruit, China pink, alfalfa and kudzu vine were brought into the space. As these plants are very drought enduring and they are able to sprout and grow even after 130 to 180 days of dryness. And so they can be used in the northwest China for the protection of roads and slopes. Scientists are attempting to cultivate even better seeds in the space environment, thereby making them to play a bigger role in the great development in the west of China.

    Among the "passengers", there are still some specific passengers, such as the streamer collectively signed by researchers and manufacturers of "Shenzhou III" spaceship, the Chinese traditional painting known as the "Soaring Chinese Dragon" created by over 30 calligraphers and painters and signed by dozen experts in astronautic technology and some postal matters and souvenirs of the future astronauts.

    Yuan Jiajun, vice-president of China Space Technology Research Institution, commander-in-chief of "Shenzhou III" spaceship presided over the ceremony for the opening of the returned module and for the handing-over of the carried matters. Present at the opening ceremony are persons concerned from the office of China manned spaceflight engineering project and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and also on the opening spot are personnel from the Beijing Notary Office who supervised and examined the carried matters out from the module.



    By People's Daily Online


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