On Saturday, the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum will open its 10,000 square meters-2nd phase exhibition area to the public. The area has six major exhibition halls, with the space hall taking up 1830 square meters.

According to Hu Xuezeng, the general architect of the 2nd phase exhibition area, "The most valuable item on display in the space hall is neither a rocket nor a satellite. Instead, it is a white space suit."

This is China's first space suit, used in its first manned space mission on the "Shenzhou V" on October 15, 2003.

Unlike the EMU (extravehicular mobility unit), the space suit on display is designed for use only inside the spacecraft. Its components include the pressure suit, helmet, gloves and boots, the most crucial being the pressure suit, which comprises the underwear, ventilation layer, and vacuum thermal insulation layer.

Sources with the museum disclosed that the space suit was "bought" for 600,000 yuan (US$72,462). Sources added that its actual cost is 3 million yuan (US$362,310).

(China.org.cn Wind Gu May 14, 2005)