China's transoceanic aerospace observation and control technology
will accelerate preparations for the nation's manned space flight,
an official with the China Base for Maritime Aerospace Survey
Vessels said Friday.
The official noted that China is approaching the advanced standards
of a small number of advanced countries in the sphere of
transoceanic aerospace observation and control technology.
The country's four vessels for transoceanic aerospace observation
and control served the four unmanned Shenzhou spaceships launched
during the past three-plus year period from November 1999 to
January 2003.
The vessels were deployed in the areas of the Atlantic, the Pacific
and the Indian Oceans to observe and control the spaceships while
in flight.
The vessels fulfilled the high-precision observation and control
task with flying colors, the official said. This indicates that
China has set up a mobile network of transoceanic aerospace
observation and control across the three big oceans.
Chinese officials have disclosed that the country expects to send
astronauts into orbit later this year.
China is the fourth country after the United States, Russia and
France to develop transoceanic aerospace observation and control
technology.
(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2003)