Shenzhou 5

Launch, orbit and landing data Designation: 28043 / 03045A Launch date - time: 15 Oct 2003 - 01:00:03 UT Launch site:  Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC) Launch vehicle: CZ-2F Altitude:  200 x 343 km Inclination:  42,408° Period:  89,6 min Landing date - time: 15 Oct 2003 - 22:23:00 UT Mission duration: 21 hours 23 min Orbits: 14 Landing place: 4,8 km from the targeted touchdown site in Inner Mongolia 41,3° N - 111,4° E Distance (km):  600000

Crew

Mission details:

• First Chinese manned spaceflight.
• The first Chinese astronaut has successfully completed his mission. Shenzhou 5 was launched by Chang Zheng 2F on Oct 15, 2003 from Jiuquan space center in Nei Monggol Zizhiqu (Inner Mongolia) province. The second stage of the CZ-2F entered a 200 x 350 km x 42.4 deg orbit together with SZ-5.
• SZ-5 then separated from the second stage, with four small retrorocket motors ejecting covers into orbit at the same time. Yang and SZ-5 orbited the Earth for over 20 hours.
• The 38-year-old former PLA Air Force fighter pilot Lt.Col Yang Liwei, became China′s first man in space.
• The spacecraft consists of three modules: the descent module, the propulsion module and the orbital module. At the end of the mission, at 2136 UTC the orbital module separated to remain in orbit, and the propulsion module fired at 2138 UTC to lower perigee into the atmosphere. The propulsion module then separated at 2159 UTC and burnt up on reentry, leaving the descent module with its heat shield exposed to the atmosphere, beginning a comms blackout at 2204.
• During the 21-hour flight, Yang had two rest sections, each with three hours of short sleep, and a meal of Chinese space food. He also made frequent audio and video communications with the ground control. Images and sound of Yang Liwei talking to the Chinese Defence Minister and Yang′s wife and son were broadcasted on the national TV.
• 6 hours 54 minutes after the lift-off, ShenZhou-5 made an orbit-raising manoeuvre under the control of YuanWang-2 space tracking ship in south Pacific.
• After 14 circles around the earth, the Space Command and Control Centre in Beijing sent radio command to the spaceship to initiate the re-entry. The re-entry capsule was separated from the orbital module and the retrofire began. Then the service module was separated from the re-entry capsule and burned up in the atmosphere, while the re-entry capsule entered lower atmosphere.
• At 22:00 GMT (06:00 BJT), the re-entry capsule entered Chinese territory. After about 3 minutes of of communications blackout, recovery helicopters picked up the signal sent by the spaceship to help locate its position, and helicopter crew reported to have sighted the re-entry capsule. A search and rescue team comprising 5 helicopters and 14 ground vehicles left to the landing location. At 22:23 GMT (06:23 BJT) the renentry capsule touched down on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia,at Dorbod Xi near Siziwang 100 km N of Hohhot (just 4.8km away from the scheduled landing spot).
• The recovery crew reached the capsule 13 minutes later and located the capsule 7.5km away.
• At 22:51 GMT (06:51 BJT), Yang walked out the re-entry capsule. After a medical examination, he was flown to a nearby airport by a helicopter. A PLA Air Force passenger jet waiting there then flew the astronaut, who had become a national hero, to Beijing.

Note:

• As usual in Chinese culture, Yang is the astronaut′s family name ("Lt-Col. Yang") in contrast to English in which the family name is placed after the personal name. Yang, from Liaoning province, is the first individual to fly in space who was a Chinese citizen at the time of launch.
• Wang Gunjin (Taylor Wang) was born in Shanghai but was a US citizen at the time of his Shuttle flight. Two other US astronauts were born in China: Shannon Wells Lucid (Shanghai) and William Anders (Hong Kong).

Astrophilately covers:

Launch Shenzhou 5. Credit: #402

Launch Shenzhou 5.

Launch Shenzhou 5, different cancel

Launch Shenzhou 5.

Launch Shenzhou 5. Credit: #402

Navire Yuanwang. Credit: #402

Landing Shenzhou 5, signed by Liwei. Credit: #402

Landing Shenzhou 5. Credit: #411a