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China to bolster int'l cooperation in aerospace engineering

Xinhua, September 29, 2011

• China will bolster its exchanges and cooperation with other countries to contribute to the exploration and peaceful use of space, a space flight program spokeswoman said Wednesday.

  "We believe that international exchanges and cooperation in the field of aerospace engineering should be intensified on the basis of mutual benefit, peaceful use and common development," said Wu Ping, a spokeswoman for China's manned space program.

  Wu said China has carried out comprehensive cooperation and exchanges with countries such as Russia and Germany, as well as with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), since it started its manned space program in 1992.

  Wu made the remarks at a press briefing in northwest China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center a day ahead of a scheduled launch for China's first space lab module.

  The Tiangong-1, or "Heavenly Palace 1," is scheduled to be sent into space late Thursday to perform the nation's first space-docking procedure. The procedure is an essential part of China's plan to build a space station around 2020.

  Wu said the lab module will carry 300 IAF flags into the space.

  She said scientists from China and Germany will jointly carry out experiments on space life science at the Shenzhou-8 spacecraft, scheduled for launch in November.

  When two Chinese astronauts preformed extra vehicular activities (EVA)from Shenzhou-7, they wore EVA space suits made in China and Russia respectively, Wu said.

  Six Chinese volunteers have participated in Russia's Mars-500 program, a ground-based experiment simulating a manned flight to Mars, according to Wu.

  "We will further seek exchanges and cooperation with other countries to jointly promote the development of manned space flight technologies," Wu said.

  Wu said China will start building space labs and space stations after mastering the technologies of space docking.

  "China remains in the initial stage of making breakthroughs in manned space flight technologies compared with the United States and Russia," Wu said.

  "On one hand, the planned space station will cater to demands for scientific and technological experiments that must be conducted in low-Earth orbit," Wu said.

  "The space station will also positively contribute to mankind's exploration and peaceful use of space through broad international cooperation," she said.

   

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