In search of 神舟
China has an impressive
space programme and they have made a couple of large steps over the
last few years. They developed their own launchers, space capsules and
spacesuits. This was helped with outside knowledge. The Chinese have
has access to Russian technology during the development, during the 神
舟-7 spacewalk they used a spacesuit bought from Russia. But they have
also developed a design of their own. The interesting thing about the
Chinese space programme is the long interval betwen manned
launches. The Chinese approach each flight as a new project, each
flight marking a next step. From a single man flight, to a multi-man
mission, to a spacewalk, to a spacedocking to their own space
station. All in 4 flights.
So you would expect the Chinese to be very proud of their achievements and to show it to the world. Not quite so, it takes perseverance to actually see some space hardware. When i was in China, i wanted to see one of the 神舟 capsules.
First stop was Shanghai,
to the technology museum. An impressive building with dinosaurs, a
planetarium and more exhibitions than one can see in a day. And the
real 神舟-6 capsule! The first multi-man mission. At least that is
what i had read. When i was in the museum there was only an empty
platform. Annoyingly the empty space was surrounded by photos of the
real thing and texts about how impressive it was.
The staff in the
museum was most helpful, but they didn't have a clue where it had
gone. It might have been moved to the Shanghai aerospace
museum. Except that doesn't exist yet. The museum did have a replica
of the complete spacecraft, a replica of a spacesuit (it had not
flown) plus a nice display including Chinese space food. Their space
food is a source of pride for the Chinese. Since they find food so
important they cannot understand how other nation's astronauts and
kosmonauts put up with food from tubes and and stuff like that. They
pride themselves on the different kinds of rice their crews take into
space. A Chinese space(wo)man never has to eat the same dish twice
during a mission. But no 神舟 capsule, so it was off to the next
stop.
北京 has a space
museum. It says so on the internet, so it must be true. The space
museum has website with some photos of all the wonderful things on
display there. The things is, the museum is rumoured to be off-limits
to foreigners. In my efforts to actually see a 神舟 ship i decided to
check anyway. The museum is located was out in the suburbs of 北京.
Finding a taxi which actually wanted to go there proved to be
difficult. Most drivers tend to hit the gas pedal when you want to go
somehere they don't know immediately. (Probably because they are not
used to read maps) However, i found one and we were off. When i
arrived at the address there was a large gate, with lots of people
entering past the uniformed guards. Uniformed guards? Yes, the museum
is on a military compound. The Chinese space programme is a military
responsibility. As a consequence, one can only get into the space
museum of one has a military pass. The guards were very vfriendly,
they were also very sorry. They could not let me enter. This being a
military compound i didn't even take a photo of the gate. That might
result in a prolonged tea drinking session with the local commander. I
did take a photo of the cheerful cartoon rocket which was drawn to
celebrate the 50 years anniversary of the rocket academy. I'm sure
that is not a military secret.
Somewhat dissapointed i
took a taxi back to the city center (the first cab driver did know
where 天安门 was thankfully). I had a few hours until my train to
Nanjing left. There was also a rumour about a 神舟 capsule in the
national museum so that is where i went. In the national museum there
is this interesting exhibition “the road to rejuvenation” documenting
the valiant efforts of the Chinese people to overcome the decades of
humiliation.
The last room of the exhibition is dedicated to the most
recent achievements of China. This includes the foil which won the
first Olympic gold medal for China. And there was a 神舟 capsule! Real
flight hardware. 神舟-5 flew the first Chinese into space. His space
suit is displayed next to it. Also in the exhibition: his flight log
and some other space related items. No food though.