A lead space program official announced China plans to launch another manned spacecraft Shenzhou-10 in early June 2013
Niu Hongguang, deputy commander-in-chief of China's manned space program, in an offical announcment revealed plans and details of launching another manned spacecraft Shenzhou-10 in early June 2013. According to the report, the spacecraft will have a crew of three astronauts and out of which two will be male and one female. The Shenzhou 10 crew will reach the "Tiangong 1," China's first space station which will havea test lab to exhibit orbital rendezvous and facilitate docking abilities.
"They will stay in space for 15 days, operating both automated and manual space dockings with the target orbiter Tiangong-1, conducting scientific experiments in the lab module and giving science lectures to spectators on the Earth," Hongguang said. "The space station is a state-level space experimental platform. We will make the best use of it to solve some problems concerning the country's scientific, technological development and people's livelihoods.".
The launch rocket and the spaceship is being tested and astronauts are being trained for the mission,
"The selection for the crew will begin in early 2013," Hongguang said.
Tiangong 1, which was launched September 29, 2011, is still in a good condition since it was designed for two-year operational lifetime and was scheduled to be deorbited by 2013. Shenzhou 9 mission was docked in June 2012. On a successful completion of the 2013 mission, a new space station will be built by 2020.
"The success of this mission might enable China to construct a space lab and a space station," Hongguang said. "The space station is a state-level space experimental platform. We will make the best use of it to solve some problems concerning the country's scientific, technological development and people's livelihoods."
