China’s second manned space mission.
Timeline of China’s space history [ source: The Associated Press ]
September 1955:
Chinese-born Tsien Hsue-sen, an American-trained rocketry expert and co-founder of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, leaves the United States for China. His departure comes after five years of virtual house arrest following accusations of communist sympathies. He becomes the leader of China’s rocketry program.
1956-58:
Soviet Union provides intermediate-range ballistic missile to China for study.
1960:
China launches its first rocket despite a cutoff of Soviet aid amid a political falling-out.
1968:
Research center established to prepare for manned space flight, with 1973 target date for launch. Program later canceled because of lack of money and political support.
1970:
China becomes the fifth country to launch a satellite into space, sending up the Dongfanghong-1 — the name means “The East is Red” — aboard a Long March rocket.
1991:
Tsien retires.
1992:
Human spaceflight program launched under code-name Project 921, with target launch date of October 1999. Qi Faren, trained in Russia, named chief spacecraft designer.
1995:
Russia agrees to assist China with human spaceflight technology and training of Chinese astronauts in cosmonaut academy near Moscow.
Nov. 20, 1999:
Successful test flight of the unmanned capsule Shenzhou 1, or “Divine Vessel.” Three further unmanned test flights follow.
Oct. 15, 2003:
Shenzhou 5 launches with one astronaut aboard, making China the third nation capable of putting a human in space on its own, after the former Soviet Union and the United States.