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© 1999 Macmillan Magazines Ltd news 336 NATURE | VOL 402 | 25 NOVEMBER 1999| www.nature.com Reports about the launch covered the front pages of almost all major newspapers. Russia is reported to have helped China with the development programme. The spacecraft weighed about 8.4 tonnes and was capable of accommodating up to four astro- nauts. It was said to be based on the Russian Soyuz, but with two pairs of solar panels to generate power, and a cylindrical forward module rather than a spherical one. Moscow and Beijing signed an agree- ment to train Chinese cosmonauts in Russia after Russian president Boris Yeltsin visited China in 1996. Two Chinese cosmonauts received train- ing that year at the Star City Space Centre near Moscow in the full programme needed for a manned flight, as well as intensive courses in physics and Russian. The future astronauts are said to have been picked from among China’s best fighter pilots. China launched its first rocket in 1959. The country’s first satellite, Dongfanghong, went into orbit in 1970. Tian Xuewen Beijing China has launched its first unmanned spacecraft, Shenzhou, or “God Ship”. The flight has made China the third country to launch a craft capable of carrying a person into space, and has been hailed as a mile- stone towards realizing that dream. The vehicle was launched with the latest model of the Long March rocket, from the Jiuquan satellite-launching centre in the northwestern province of Gansu, at 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday (20 November). The dome-shaped craft was in space for 21 hours and orbited the Earth 14 times before touch- ing down in Inner Mongolia. During the mission, experiments were conducted on remote sensing from space, environmental monitoring, space materials, life science, astronomy and physics. A new land- and sea-based monitoring and control network was put into use for the first time for the launch. China’s secret Manned Spaceflight Pro- gramme began in 1992. The first manned flight was originally planned to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in October — no reasons were given for the delay. The spacecraft and the carrier rocket were developed mainly by the China Space Sci- ence and Technology Group. The Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of the Information Industry were also involved. The official Xinhua News Agency said the launch would “strengthen the nation’s com- prehensive national strength, promote the development of science and technology, enhance national prestige and boost the nation’s sense of pride and cohesiveness”. Officials say that a number of unmanned test flights are needed before an astronaut can be sent into space, but give no timetable. The Beijing-backed Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po said a manned flight was “just around the corner”, however. Major Chinese newspapers did not appear until midday on Sunday, apparently waiting for the return of the spacecraft. China on verge of putting man into space… Tokyo Japan’s space programme experienced a major setback last week when one of its H-II rockets had to be destroyed shortly after lift- off. An engine failure caused the launcher to deviate from its flight path. The failure led to the resignation of Toshio Okazaki, vice-minister for the Science and Technology Agency (STA), who also took responsibility for the nuclear fuel accident at a uranium-reprocessing plant in Tokaimura in September. But his resignation fuelled criticism of the government for creating a scapegoat for mishaps at STA-related organizations. The launcher carrying the Multi- functional Transport Satellite (MTSAT) was blown up seven minutes after its launch, on the instructions of the National Space Development Agency (NASDA). Agency officials say that the engine on the first stage of the launcher stopped working about four minutes after the launch, possibly because of a problem with the fuel pipe supplying hydrogen to the combustion chamber. The failure, resulting in a total loss of ¥34.3 billion (US$327 million), was a blow to NASDA and its governing body, the STA, which had hoped to improve the space agency’s reputation following last year’s failure to launch the world’s largest telecommunications satellite (see Nature 392, 321; 1998). Three delays to the launch of the H-II rocket, initially planned for August, added insult to injury (see Nature 401, 204; 1999). NASDA admitted after the accident that it did not inspect the main engine thoroughly, because the same type of engine had worked in past missions. Hirofumi Nakasone, director-general of STA, has promised a full investigation into the failure and a review of space development strategy under NASDA. “This does not mean that [Japan’s] whole space development strategy has a problem, but the current system under NASDA clearly needs to be reviewed and made open to the public,” said Nakasone. Politicians from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party called for a drastic reorganization of the country’s space programme after last year’s launch failure. This view has strengthened after last week’s incident, with a greater emphasis on reorganizing NASDA. This would include merging NASDA with the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) under the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (Monbusho) after the planned merger of STA and Monbusho in 2001. But space scientists are opposed to such a move, saying that a merger of NASDA, which is responsible for large-scale, mission-orientated programmes, and ISAS, an institute focusing on basic research, would be disastrous. “The merger will not make the problems disappear,” says Ryojiro Akiba, former director of ISAS and a member of STA’s Space Activities Commission. “NASDA may have to shift from its current application- orientated approach to a more technology- and research-based approach, and ISAS could provide support for such a move; but this should not be interpreted as a need to merge the two organizations.” The failure is also a serious blow to Japan’s plan to join the satellite business. Rocket System, a commercial satellite- launching company funded by 73 space- related companies, says the failure may affect its contract with two US companies to launch satellites using H-IIA rockets, which are based on H-II launchers. Asako Saegusa Ill-fated: the H-II launcher was blown up seven minutes after its successful lift-off (above). ... as a new failed satellite launch embarrasses Japan NASDA

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© 1999 Macmillan Magazines Ltd

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336 NATURE | VOL 402 | 25 NOVEMBER 1999| www.nature.com

Reports about the launch covered the frontpages of almost all major newspapers.

Russia is reported to have helped Chinawith the development programme. Thespacecraft weighed about 8.4 tonnes and wascapable of accommodating up to four astro-nauts. It was said to be based on the RussianSoyuz, but with two pairs of solar panels togenerate power, and a cylindrical forwardmodule rather than a spherical one.

Moscow and Beijing signed an agree-ment to train Chinese cosmonauts in Russiaafter Russian president Boris Yeltsin visitedChina in 1996.

Two Chinese cosmonauts received train-ing that year at the Star City Space Centrenear Moscow in the full programme neededfor a manned flight, as well as intensivecourses in physics and Russian. The futureastronauts are said to have been picked fromamong China’s best fighter pilots.

China launched its first rocket in 1959.The country’s first satellite, Dongfanghong,went into orbit in 1970. Tian Xuewen

BeijingChina has launched its first unmannedspacecraft, Shenzhou, or “God Ship”. Theflight has made China the third country tolaunch a craft capable of carrying a personinto space, and has been hailed as a mile-stone towards realizing that dream.

The vehicle was launched with the latestmodel of the Long March rocket, from theJiuquan satellite-launching centre in thenorthwestern province of Gansu, at 6:30 a.m.local time on Saturday (20 November). Thedome-shaped craft was in space for 21 hoursand orbited the Earth 14 times before touch-ing down in Inner Mongolia.

During the mission, experiments wereconducted on remote sensing from space,environmental monitoring, space materials,life science, astronomy and physics. A newland- and sea-based monitoring and controlnetwork was put into use for the first time forthe launch.

China’s secret Manned Spaceflight Pro-gramme began in 1992. The first manned

flight was originally planned to coincidewith the fiftieth anniversary of the foundingof the People’s Republic of China in October— no reasons were given for the delay.

The spacecraft and the carrier rocket weredeveloped mainly by the China Space Sci-ence and Technology Group. The ChineseAcademy of Sciences and the Ministry of theInformation Industry were also involved.

The official Xinhua News Agency said thelaunch would “strengthen the nation’s com-prehensive national strength, promote thedevelopment of science and technology,enhance national prestige and boost thenation’s sense of pride and cohesiveness”.

Officials say that a number of unmannedtest flights are needed before an astronautcan be sent into space, but give no timetable.The Beijing-backed Hong Kong newspaperWen Wei Po said a manned flight was “justaround the corner”, however.

Major Chinese newspapers did notappear until midday on Sunday, apparentlywaiting for the return of the spacecraft.

China on verge of putting man into space…

TokyoJapan’s space programme experienced amajor setback last week when one of its H-IIrockets had to be destroyed shortly after lift-off. An engine failure caused the launcher todeviate from its flight path.

The failure led to the resignation ofToshio Okazaki, vice-minister for theScience and Technology Agency (STA), whoalso took responsibility for the nuclear fuelaccident at a uranium-reprocessing plant inTokaimura in September. But hisresignation fuelled criticism of thegovernment for creating a scapegoat formishaps at STA-related organizations.

The launcher carrying the Multi-functional Transport Satellite (MTSAT) wasblown up seven minutes after its launch, onthe instructions of the National SpaceDevelopment Agency (NASDA). Agencyofficials say that the engine on the first stageof the launcher stopped working about fourminutes after the launch, possibly becauseof a problem with the fuel pipe supplyinghydrogen to the combustion chamber.

The failure, resulting in a total loss of¥34.3 billion (US$327 million), was a blowto NASDA and its governing body, the STA,which had hoped to improve the spaceagency’s reputation following last year’sfailure to launch the world’s largesttelecommunications satellite (see Nature392, 321; 1998).

Three delays to the launch of the H-II

rocket, initially planned for August, addedinsult to injury (see Nature 401, 204; 1999).NASDA admitted after the accident that itdid not inspect the main engine thoroughly,because the same type of engine had workedin past missions.

Hirofumi Nakasone, director-general ofSTA, has promised a full investigation intothe failure and a review of spacedevelopment strategy under NASDA. “Thisdoes not mean that [Japan’s] whole spacedevelopment strategy has a problem, but thecurrent system under NASDA clearly needsto be reviewed and made open to thepublic,” said Nakasone.

Politicians from the ruling LiberalDemocratic Party called for a drasticreorganization of the country’s spaceprogramme after last year’s launch failure.This view has strengthened after last week’sincident, with a greater emphasis onreorganizing NASDA. This would includemerging NASDA with the Institute of Spaceand Astronautical Science (ISAS) under theMinistry of Education, Science, Sports andCulture (Monbusho) after the plannedmerger of STA and Monbusho in 2001.

But space scientists are opposed to such amove, saying that a merger of NASDA,which is responsible for large-scale,mission-orientated programmes, and ISAS,an institute focusing on basic research,would be disastrous.

“The merger will not make the problems

disappear,” says Ryojiro Akiba, formerdirector of ISAS and a member of STA’sSpace Activities Commission. “NASDA mayhave to shift from its current application-orientated approach to a more technology-and research-based approach, and ISAScould provide support for such a move; butthis should not be interpreted as a need tomerge the two organizations.”

The failure is also a serious blow toJapan’s plan to join the satellite business.Rocket System, a commercial satellite-launching company funded by 73 space-related companies, says the failure mayaffect its contract with two US companies tolaunch satellites using H-IIA rockets, whichare based on H-II launchers. Asako Saegusa

Ill-fated: the H-II launcher was blown up sevenminutes after its successful lift-off (above).

... as a new failed satellite launch embarrasses Japan

NA

SDA