BBC News Online: Sci/Tech

China's secret manned spacecraft revealed

Pictures of the secret capsule that China will use to put a man into space have found their way out of China.

It is a serious lapse of the high security surrounding China's plans to put a man into space.

They are said to have been taken last year by a Mongolian construction company that helped to build new launch facilities at China's Jiuquan launch complex.

They show the top-secret CZ-2F rocket. This is a version of China's successful Long March rocket that has been upgraded to be capable of launching astronauts.

Space capsule

Arousing most interest among experts is the capsule perched on top of the rocket.

It includes an escape tower housing small rockets that fire to separate the capsule from the rocket in case of an emergency during countdown.

Such a tower is not normally used in unmanned spacecraft.

The capsule itself appears to draw heavily on the highly successful Russian Soyuz capsule, a design that is 35 years old.

Test in October

China has made announcements that suggest that it has astronauts in training for a future manned mission, possibly in 2001.

The first unmanned test of the new capsule is expected in October.

In the pictures the CZ-2F rocket is seen being wheeled out of a large assembly building.

Also clearly visible is a mobile launch platform to transport the assembled rocket from the assembly building to the launch pad. This is the first time that China has employed this method of launch.

Relevant Stories

China to test 'space shuttle' in October (13 May 99 | Sci/Tech)
Chinese manned spaceflight probable (26 Feb 99 | Sci/Tech)

Internet Links

China Space Shuttle
Dragon in Space

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In this section

World's smallest transistor
Scientists join forces to study Arctic ozone
Mathematicians crack big puzzle
The growing threat of internet fraud (From Business)
Who watches the pilots?
Cold 'cure' comes one step closer (From Health)