Energy News  
China's Manned Spacecraft To Carry Small Satellite

-
by Staff Writers
Beijing, China (XNA) Jan 22, 2007
When Chinese astronauts eventually walk in space, a small satellite will be used to monitor their movements, said a satellite expert on Thursday. The satellite will be launched from the manned spacecraft and orbit around it. It will keep a close watch on spacecraft conditions and help monitor the astronauts' spacewalks, China News Service reported.

The next step in China's manned spaceflight program -- which could happen as early as 2008 -- involves allowing the astronauts to walk out of the spacecraft and dock the spacecraft with another target object, according to Sun Laiyan, head of China's National Space Administration.

Yang Genqing, a researcher with the Shanghai-based Small and Micro Satellite Research Institute, said small satellites weigh between 100 and 1,000 kilograms.

Compared with traditional satellites, small satellites are cheaper and quicker to manufacture, consume less energy consumption and are more reliable, Yang said.

Small satellites can link to form a "constellation" and outperform traditional satellites, according to Yang.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Chinese National Space Administration
The Chinese Space Program - News, Policy and Technology
China News from SinoDaily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


No Response From China On US Space Complaints Says White House
Washington (AFP) Jan 19, 2007
China has yet to respond to US concerns about its space program, the White House said Friday, adding that Washington hopes for "cooperation on a civil space strategy" with Beijing. "We've expressed our concern to the Chinese, both to our Chinese officials here in (Washington), DC and in Beijing," said spokeswoman Dana Perino.







  • Big Oil Digs In Heels As Congress Moves On Tax Breaks
  • Canada's New Government Launches EcoEnergy Technology Initiative
  • New Fuel Cell Design Adds Better Control While Reducing Complexity
  • Survey Shows Strong Support For Offshore Wind Power

  • Zapatero Pins Faith In Renewable Energy Amid Nuclear Debate
  • Nuclear Waste Land
  • Most Germans Oppose Nuclear Power Phase-Out
  • Iran To 'Honor Principles' Of Nuclear Control Treaty

  • U.S. wood-fired boilers cause concern
  • Climate Change Affecting Outermost Atmosphere Of Earth
  • TIMED Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary
  • Steering Clear Of Icy Skies

  • Sweden's Tree Line Moving At Fastest Rate For 7,000 Years
  • Soil Nutrients Shape Tropical Forests, Large-Scale Study Indicates
  • Health Of Brazilian Rainforest Depends On Dust From One Valley In Africa
  • Forests Can Also Raise Temperature Of Earth

  • California Fruit Crops Devastated By Freeze Says Schwarzenegger
  • California's Big Freeze Threatening Citrus Crops
  • 150,000 Trout Killed At Fish Farm In Storm Off Norway
  • Clear Strong Guidelines Needed For Marine Aquaculture

  • When Will Russian Cars Go To Detroit
  • New Battery Era Fires Up GM
  • What Will Russians Drive In 2010
  • Chinese Carmakers Head West

  • Time to test the Guardian Missile Defense System For Commercial Aircraft
  • Operational Testing And Evaluation Of Guardian Commercial Airline Anti-Missile System Begins
  • USGS Examines Environmental Impacts Of Aircraft De-Icers
  • China Gives Rare Glimpse Of Homegrown Jet Fighter

  • Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear
  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement