The Mammoth Book of Space Exploration and Disasters

In order to peer back toward the beginning of the universe, NGST will make observations in the infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. NGST is designed to operate in the infrared wavelengths, particularly the mid-infrared part of the spectrum. Its detectors and telescope optics must be kept as cold as possible (excess heat from the telescope itself would create unwanted “background noise”). In addition, NGST’s larger primary mirror will give it ten times Hubble’s light-gathering capability.

China joins the space race

On 17 October 2003 Oliver August reported in The Times:

As China’s first man in space returned to cheering crowds yesterday, Beijing announced plans for a permanent Space laboratory manned by Chinese scientists in competition with the US-Russian station.

“The maiden manned space-flight is the first step of China’s space programme,” said Xie Mingbao, a leading engineer. The next stage would be a space station, he said.

The announcement hints at the country’s growing confidence following the successful launch of the Shenzhou 5, which has triggered feverish interest across China. “Great Leap Skyward,” the China Daily newspaper enthused.

The astronaut Yang Liwei, 38, touched down in his Russian-designed space capsule near the intended landing zone on grassland close to the Mongolian border after circling the Earth 14 times in 21 hours.

“It is a splendid moment in the history of my motherland and also the greatest day of my life,” he said. “The spaceship operated well.”

After only two hours on Earth, Lieutenant Colonel Yang was put on a plane and flown to the capital for interviews, congratulatory photographs and handshakes with China’s leaders. Thousands gathered at Beijing’s millennium monument to cheer his return and hail him a national hero.

The story was splashed across the front pages of most newspapers and many television and radio stations carried blanket coverage of Colonel Yang’s return in his bronze capsule. On the Internet, Chinese expressed feelings of pride, mixed with a few voices warning China could not afford a space programme.

“As a Chinese person, I am very proud of my country,” said one of more than 40,000 messages posted on Chinese portal Sina.com. “Long live the motherland! Long live the Chinese nationality!” State media showed children marvelling at a life-sized model of the Shenzhou 5 during a field trip to the China Science and Technology Museum.

In private, some Chinese are more circumspect. “What is there to be proud of? The Americans are taking strolls on the moon. We’ve just circled the Earth a few times,” said Wang Changlin, a driver. “We’ll never catch up with America.”

China has decided to issue 10.2 million sets of stamps to commemorate the country’s success in putting a man into space. The stamps will show motifs such as “astronaut at work” and “triumphant return”.