on the next phase of space flight, which was putting a man in space (Kahn 3). To do .
this the Chinese had to develop a vessel that would be able to support life in space. China's answer to this problem is Shen-Zhou an 18,000 lbs. space craft with large boosters and a service module (Oberg "China Aims" 1). There has been lots of problems creating and testing Shen-Zhou resulting in fiery crashes. However, in 1999 China completed the first successful launch and recovery of Shen-Zhou (Kahn 3). After a few more modifications the Chinese vessel was ready for a human trial. Yang Liwei was the first taikonaut, (Chinese astronaut) to pilot a Chinese spacecraft into orbit on Oct. 16 2003. China had become the third country ever to send a man into orbit right after the U.S. and the Soviet Union (Pomfret "First Space Traveler Returns" 1). .
China has some bold plans for the future of their space program. They want to be right with the United States, when it comes to space technology, and one day even pass them. One thing that China wants to do is put a man on the moon by 2010, but first they want to put a robotic explorer there in 2008. China also would like to build a space station on the moon. The space program also has a different objective and that is defense, China is planning missile satellites that will be able to break through U.S. defenses (Forney 1-2).
People who favor China's space program would say that China has the power and ability to go into space. China is one of the largest countries in the world and has major influence in Asia, it shows this influence when it forced .
N. Korea into negotiations to halt work on it's nuclear weapons (Forney 1-2). So China would not only represent itself, but also Asia. "Space technology does not belong to the rich countries alone . In science there is only a #1 no # 2, we"d like to lead in contributing to mankind," said Zhang Houying, Scientific Director of Shen-Zhou (qtd.
