China launches, lands first unmanned spacecraft

The unmanned Shenzhou spent 21 hours in orbit after liftoff from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

November 21, 1999
Web posted at: 5:56 a.m. EST (1056 GMT)

BEIJING (CNN) -- China has taken a major step toward joining the United States and Russia in space, successfully testing an unmanned spacecraft that soon could carry the country's first astronauts into orbit.

The launch took place early Saturday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch center in northwest China, the state news agency Xinhua reported. Controllers brought the craft -- dubbed "Shenzhou," or "Vessel of the Gods" -- down safely in Inner Mongolia about 3:41 a.m. Sunday (1941 GMT Saturday), Chinese television reported.

Shenzhou separated from its launch vehicle and went into orbit about 10 minutes after liftoff, circling the Earth for 21 hours before landing.

The spacecraft was put into orbit by a new model of the Long March rocket, China's largest launch vehicle. The rockets have been used to put more than two dozen Chinese and international satellites into orbit since they went into service in 1996.

Western experts who track the Chinese space program believe China will have to conduct one, if not two, unmanned test launches before sending up a manned spacecraft.

The launch was the latest step in a seven-year effort by Beijing to join the ranks of spacefaring nations. Earlier this year, Chinese officials said they had hoped to launch a manned spacecraft in time for October's 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic.

Many floats in the October 1 National Day parade carried models of rockets, including a Chinese version of the U.S. space shuttle. Beijing's official newspapers reported in October that China still hopes to put an astronaut in space, perhaps before the end of the year.

The newspapers noted that extensive training has been given to a group of people who "will become China's first generation of real astronauts."

So far, only the United States and Russia have launched manned space missions, though their flights have included crews from numerous other countries.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.