China’s state television launched its latest Shenzhou-9 manned rocket in space and sent its first woman into space from the Jiuquan spaceport on the edge of the north-western Gobi desert on Saturday.
Liu Yang, along with two male astronauts, is heading to the Tiangong space lab. She will conduct aerospace medical experiments and other space tests there, Press TV reported.
“Arranging for women astronauts to fly is not only a must for the development of human spaceflight, but also the expectation of the public,” space program spokeswoman Wu Ping said.
The crew will spend over a week living and working on the vessel before manually docking to the prototype space lab in a key step toward building a permanent space station.
“The manual space rendezvous… is a huge test for astronauts’ ability to judge spatial position, eye-hand coordination and psychological abilities,” Jing Haipeng, who is heading the crew, said to reporters ahead of the launch.
So far the US and Russia are the only countries to send independently maintained space stations into orbit.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription