Chinese Manned Space Launch (live thread as situation develops)

MSNBC/AP ^ | 10-14-03 | AP

[bonesmccoy]

Thumbs up for China’s space launch

But Beijing decides against live telecast; preparations veiled in traditional secrecy

JIUQUAN, China, Oct. 15 — Keeping his identity secret, China prepared its first astronaut for space travel Tuesday and loaded his rocket with fuel — but said the public and the world would have to wait to learn whether the flight succeeds. The Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily said the launch would “most probably” happen Wednesday morning, which translates to Tuesday evening ET.

STATE TELEVISION scrapped plans for a live broadcast of the launch. A Hong Kong newspaper said the cancellation was prompted by fears of the “political risks” of something going wrong. A successful flight would make China the third nation to put a human into space on its own — a propaganda prize in which communist leaders have invested 11 years of secretive preparation and untold resources. Communist leaders hope the history-making launch will boost China’s standing abroad and, more important, help the party’s image among a populace weary of corruption and other abuses. The three finalists to become China’s first “taikonaut” (TYE’-koh-nawt) were reportedly waiting at a Gobi Desert launch base near this dusty city of concrete apartment buildings in the remote northwest. Security was tight around the remote base, some 175 miles (280 kilometers) northeast of Jiuquan: Cars were turned back and phone calls to the base were blocked. “It’s a big thing for the country,” said Zhang Ming, a man buying a leather jacket in Jiuquan on Tuesday.

WHO WILL FLY? The astronaut candidates, all fighter pilots, were to undergo final tests as little as one hour before the flight, state media said. The government’s Xinhua News Agency has said the “No. 1 astronaut” among them would go up — the strongest sign yet that the flight will carry only one person. People’s Daily said the Shenzhou 5 capsule had completed its own final tests and, on Tuesday, was “sitting on the launch pad with more fuel being injected.” It said top Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao, were to attend the launch.

“The launch of Shenzhou 5 is long-awaited by the Chinese people,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue. She said the flight was a key step in the “peaceful development of space” — a reflection of China’s effort to reassure the world that its military-linked program is benign. The Shenzhou, or “Divine Vessel,” is based on the three-seat Russian Soyuz capsule, though with extensive modifications. China also paid Moscow to train at least two astronauts. But Beijing insists everything sent into space will be developed and made in China. State media, trying to dispel suggestions that its triumph depends on foreign know-how, refer to Shenzhou as “China’s self-designed manned spaceship.” Xinhua quoted space officials Tuesday assuring the public that the astronauts’ spacesuits were safe and the Long March CZ-2 F booster was China’s “best rocket.”

CONFIDENCE AND CONCERN After months of official silence, the government showed growing confidence over the past week, announcing that the flight would blast off sometime between Wednesday and Friday and splashing pictures of the once-secret launch base across newspapers. Advertisement

But the decision to cancel a live broadcast suggested leaders might be unnerved by the thought of the propaganda disaster that an accident could produce. The People’s Daily Web site gave no explanation for the decision to cancel. China used to broadcast satellite launches live, but stopped in 1995 after a rocket blew up moments after liftoff, reportedly killing six people on the ground. The Shenzhou 5 launch comes after four test launches of unmanned capsules that orbited the Earth for nearly a week before parachuting back to China’s northern grasslands. State media say the manned flight is expected to last 14 orbits or about 20 hours. State television planned to broadcast taped scenes of the launch only if it succeeds, the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post said, citing “media sources.” State-run China Central Television would not confirm the report. “There might be a live broadcast, or there might not,” a CCTV spokeswoman, who refused to give her name, told The Associated Press. “CCTV employees aren’t allowed to answer that question.”

DECISION CRITICIZED Dozens of messages left on Chinese Web sites taunted officials for their decision and demanded that the government show its people the historic launch as it happens. Such sites are monitored by censors who enforce official rules on content and sometimes erase postings, which suggested the negative postings were genuine. “The decision is very idiotic and reflects our nation’s lack of confidence,” said a note on the popular Sina.com Web site, signed Flyying111. The Gansu Daily, published in the provincial capital, Lanzhou, welcomed the imminent launch. “Finally,” it said, “the time has come to realize the 1,000-year dream of flying dreamed by the sons and daughters of China.”

[bonesmccoy]

It appears that we are coming up on the launch of the first Chinese manned space mission.

The announcement may occur sometime tonight.

Stay tuned.

I predicted announcment around 6 AM PST on 10-15-03

Since the Chinese gov't is too chicken to show it live, my guess is that there will be no announcement of any mission until after landing.

[Support Free Republic]

SHOW YOUR PRIDE! SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC!
	Donate Here By Secure Server Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD- It is in the breaking news sidebar!

[commish]

How convenient. Even if the rocket goes kablooie, the Chinese can claim it was a success and parade around the "astronaut".

[Willie Green]

Well if they don't succeed, it'll be another blemish on Boeing's reputation.

[adam_az]

My guess is that HAM operators and astronomers (NOT TO MENTION THE NSA) will be following it and we will hear news not long after launch.

[I_love_weather]

Yes but we will know if it blows up...with our satellites watching this thing.

[Moonman62]

Communist leaders hope the history-making launch will boost China’s standing abroad and, more important, help the party’s image among a populace weary of corruption and other abuses.

That strategy didn't work for the Soviets, and it won't work for the Chicoms, either.

[RobFromGa]

hey bones, add me to the ping list for when we have any confirmation of a launch if and when we hear same...

[Moonman62]

WHO WILL FLY? The astronaut candidates, all fighter pilots, ...

I can think of one fighter pilot it won't be.

[My Favorite Headache]

Let's just hope and pray that it is a manned space mission and not something that the Clinton's gave them to blow this nation to hell by the end of the night.

[July 4th]

Yeah, people will see this thing if it actually makes it into the sky. However, if it blows up on the pad, and then they claim it was a success, plenty of people will know they're full of BS.

[petuniasevan]

Hmph. I said the Chinese would pull this secrecy stunt.

Then they'll claim success, no matter what happens.
Of course our media will NOT question their announcement; they believe ANY b.s. the Chinese government grinds out.

Space Ping, Kev.

[adaven]

I can think of one fighter pilot it won't be.

Yeah, he went the "wrong way" ;-)

[MindBender26]

But if the rice rocket goes "kablooie" (Love that word, thanks for using it) there will be plenty of LEO satellite stills, video, etc. Yes?

The Red Collar birds would have great pics of it.

[Fledermaus]

How do they think they could keep the launch "secret"? I'm pretty sure we'll know when that happens from out satellites alone.

Again...did the Space Station astronauts order take out? ;-)

[MindBender26]

"I can think of one fighter pilot it won't be"

You mean the winner of the 2001 Lockheed-Lucca Brazzi "He Swims With The Fishes" award?

[MonroeDNA]

Hi folks,

Don't you just love this place? Are you becoming addicted to FR? I am a Freepaholic. I have to tune in every day. This is the best place on the planet to get unbiased news, and the best analysis, bar none. You know that. I know that.

Because of the free exchange of information, and high level analysis, this site is one of the top sites in the world. There are over 1 million threads here, for you to peruse. And your comments are seen by everyone, in every country.

Did you know this site was started by one determined, stubborn son-of-a-gun who is in a wheelchair? Do you know that to this day he is still in charge? Do you know that this place is funded entirely by donations? Nobody’s getting rich off this place. It’s 3 months at a time.

Some of the brightest people in the world come here daily, to learn, and read what YOU have written. People like Rush (bless him), Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, both Houses of Congress, their staffs, World leaders, and all freedom lovers come here.

In some countries, you could go to jail for posting here. For real. It's that powerful.

Communists in power HATE this site. They can't control the propaganda. Come to think of it, communists NOT in power hate it, too. So does the Democrat leadership.

Do you want this site to stay here? There is no membership fee. The fundraisers are to keep it going, 3 months at a time. Think about that. 3 months at a time.

China would love this place to fail. So would Chavez, Castro, the idiot running North Korea, Tom Daschle, and Hillary.

I know it sounds like such a little amount, but I am humbly asking you to consider donating just $3 a month. A dime a day. I know it sounds like nothing, but it is everything. It really is. Put it on a credit card, and that's that. The link is at the bottom of the main page, way, way down. You will join us freedom lovers who are committed to spreading the word, and letting people all over the world have a place they can get unbiased information. Your dime a day is 100 times more than the guy in China who is reading this can afford. And he will go to jail if he is caught reading this. Think about that.

I've been here since '97, and know how this site has changed the world. Become a permanent part of it. I am asking you, personally.

Please. Your pride will swell, and rightly so. It feels good.

That guy in China, wanting freedom, depends on YOU.

[Poohbah]

Don't think of it as a signals intelligence platform...

Think of it as four really big Cuisinarts flying in close formation (c8

[freedumb2003]

HKT -- live broadcast of Chinese Lunar landing

[petuniasevan]