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| China launches fourth unmanned test spacecraft |
| CCTV.COM 2002-12-30 09:12:43 |
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 China has successfully launched its fourth unmanned test spacecraft into orbit. Early on Monday, the Shenzhou IV lifted off from a base in northwest China. It is part of the country's ambitious plan to send astronauts up into space.
At 0:40 Monday morning, Shenzhou IV lifted off from the Jiuquan base in northwest China's Gansu Province. Ten minutes after the take－off, the spacecraft separated from its Long March 2F carrier rocket and went into orbit.
Member of China's Central Military Committee Li Jinai declared the launch a success. He said,“According to the reports from the Beijing Command and Control Center, the Shenzhou IV spacecraft has accurately entered into orbit. This launch has achieved complete success.”
Senior Chinese officials, including Top Legislator Li Peng, Vice Premier Wu Bangguo and Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Jia Qinglin, watched the launch at the site. On behalf of all other officials, Li Peng extended his congratulations to all those involved in the project.
The top legislator said the successful launch demonstrated that China's manned space science and technology program was getting increasingly mature. He encouraged all those involved in the space program to work hard for its complete success.
The launch was China's fourth successful spacecraft launch in three years. Previous tests were conducted in 1999, 2001 and earlier this year. Like its Shenzhou III predecessor, Shenzhou IV has all the functions of a manned spacecraft. Dummy astronauts, human physical monitoring sensors and a metabolic simulation apparatus have been installed in the craft to simulate and monitor vital human signs, and to test its life support system.
 Shenzhou IV is just one step away from a manned flight. In fact, before the launch, Chinese astronauts entered the craft to get a feel of it. Land and sea rescue missions were also rehearsed.
The craft is being tracked and controlled from the command center in Beijing, a monitoring center in Xi'an and a fleet of four monitoring vessels deployed in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The spacecraft will stay in orbit for a week. Its descent module will touch down in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
If all goes well, Shenzhou IV should be the last unmanned test flight of the Shenzhou Series spacecraft. Shenzhou V may become the nation's first manned spacecraft, making China the third country in the world to send man into outer space, after Russia and the US.
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Editor: Yang Feiyang CCTV.com
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