View source for Astronomy:Shenzhou program

{{Infobox Chinese
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The '''Shenzhou program''' ({{IPAc-en|'|ʃ|ɛ|n|'|dʒ|oʊ}},<ref>{{cite web|title=Shenzhou pronunciation|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/shenzhou|website=Dictionary.com|access-date=2015-04-25}}</ref> {{zh|c={{linktext|神|舟}}}}) is a crewed spaceflight initiative by {{wipe|China}}. The program put the first Chinese citizen, Yang Liwei, into orbit on 15 October 2003.

The development began in 1992, under the name of '''Project 921-1'''. The Chinese National Manned Space Program was given the designation Project 921 with Project 921-1 as its first significant goal. The plan called for a crewed launch in October 1999, prior to the new millennium.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

Russian assistance to the program began as early as May 1991, when Russian lecturers briefed the Chinese engineers on the capabilities and potential of their Soyuz spacecraft.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shenzhou |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/shenzhou.html |website=Astronautix |access-date=13 August 2020}}</ref> This was followed by two-year fellowships for 20 young Chinese engineers in Russia during 1992–1994. In September 1994 Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretary Jiang Zemin visited the Russian Flight Control Centre in Kaliningrad and noted that there were broad prospects for co-operation between the two countries in space. In March 1995 a deal was signed to transfer manned spacecraft technology to China,<ref>{{cite web |title=Shenzhou |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/shenzhou.html |website=Astronautix |access-date=13 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Shenzhou Manned Spacecraft Programme |url=https://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/shenzhou-spacecraft-programme-china/ |website=Aerospace Technology |access-date=13 August 2020}}</ref> Included in the agreement were training of cosmonauts, provision of Soyuz spacecraft capsules and life support systems, androgynous docking systems, and space suits.

The first four uncrewed test flights happened in 1999, 2001, and 2002. These were followed by crewed missions. Shenzhou missions are launched on the [[Engineering:Long March 2F|Long March 2F]] from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The command center of the mission is the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center. The China Manned Space Engineering Office provides engineering and administrative support for the crewed Shenzhou missions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=943|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412021625/http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=943|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-04-12|title=China's Manned Space Program Takes the Stage at 26th National Space Symposium|date=2010-04-10|publisher=The Space Foundation}}</ref>

The name ''Shenzhou'' is translated as ''Divine vessel.''<ref>{{cite web|title=Expedition 7 Crew Members Welcome China to Space|url=https://www.nasa.gov/missions/shuttle/iss_china.html|publisher=NASA |access-date=17 August 2018|date=17 October 2003}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

== History ==
China's first efforts at [[Astronomy:Human spaceflight|human spaceflight]] started in 1968 with a projected launch date of 1973. Although China did launch an [[Engineering:Uncrewed spacecraft|uncrewed]] satellite in 1970 and has maintained an active uncrewed program since, the crewed spaceflight program was cancelled due to lack of funds and political interest. Instead, China decided in 1978 to pursue a method of sending astronauts into space using the more familiar FSWderived ballistic reentry capsules. Two years later. in 1980, the Chinese government cancelled the program citing cost concerns.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120419165427/http://www.futron.com/upload/wysiwyg/Resources/Whitepapers/China_n_%20Second_Space_Age_1003.pdf - 5 May 2020</ref>

The current Chinese human spaceflight program was authorized on September 21 1992 by the Standing Committee of Politburo as Project 921–1, with work beginning on 1 January 1993. The initial plan has three phases:<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120419165427/http://www.futron.com/upload/wysiwyg/Resources/Whitepapers/China_n_%20Second_Space_Age_1003.pdf - 5 May 2020</ref>
:* Phase 1 would involve launch of two uncrewed versions of the crewed spacecraft, followed by the first Chinese crewed spaceflight, by 2002.
:* Phase 2 would run through 2007, and involve a series of flights to prove the technology, conduct rendezvous and docking operations in orbit, and operate an 8-ton spacelab using the basic spacecraft technology.
:* Phase 3 would involve orbiting of a 20-ton space station in the 2010–2015 period, with crews being shuttled to it using the 8-ton crewed spacecraft.

The chief designers include Qi Faren and Wang Yongzhi. The first uncrewed flight of the spacecraft was launched on 19 November 1999, after which '''Project 921-1''' was renamed '''Shenzhou''', a name reportedly chosen by CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin. A series of three additional uncrewed flights ensued. The Shenzhou reentry capsules used are 13% larger than Soyuz reentry capsules, and it is expected that later craft will be designed to carry a crew of four instead of Soyuz's three, although physical limitations on astronaut size, as experienced with earlier incarnations of Soyuz, will likely apply.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

The fifth launch, ''[[Astronomy:Shenzhou 5|Shenzhou 5]]'', was the first to carry a human (Yang Liwei) and occurred at 01:00:00 UTC on 15 October 2003.<ref name="Trajectory">{{Cite web |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=2003-045A|title=Shenzhou 5: Trajectory 2003-045A|date=17 April 2020|website=nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|access-date=5 May 2020}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

Like similar space programs in other nations, Shenzhou has raised some questions about whether China should spend money on launching people into space, arguing that these resources would be better directed elsewhere. Indeed, two earlier human spaceflight programs, one in the mid-1970s and the other in the 1980s, were cancelled because of expense. In response, several justifications have been offered in the Chinese media. One is that the long-term destiny of humanity lies in the exploration of space, and that China should not be left behind. Another is that such a program will catalyze the development of science and technology in China. Finally, it has been argued that the prestige resulting from this capability will increase China's stature in the world, in a similar manner to the 2008 Olympics.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

On 17 October 2005, following the success of [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 6|Shenzhou 6]], Chinese media officially stated that the cost of this flight was around US$110 million, and the gross cost of Project 921/1 in the past 11 years was US$2.3 billion (about $3.2 billion in 2020 value). These values are lower than the cost of similar space programs in other nations,{{citation needed|date=July 2018}} but higher than the development cost of the SpaceX's Dragon Crew, with [[Astronomy:Development of the Commercial Crew Program|about $3.1 billion]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sheetz |first1=Michael |title=NASA’s deal to fly astronauts with Boeing is turning out to be much more expensive than SpaceX |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/19/nasa-cost-to-fly-astronauts-with-spacex-boeing-and-russian-soyuz.html |website=CNBC}}</ref>

The Chinese media has heavily promoted the experiments undertaken by Shenzhou, particularly exposing seeds, including some from Taiwan, to zero gravity and radiation. Most scientists, however, discount the usefulness of this type of experiment.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

The experience during the 1960s of both the United States with the [[Organization:Manned Orbiting Laboratory|Manned Orbiting Laboratory]] and the [[Place:Soviet Union|Soviet Union]] with the [[Astronomy:Almaz|Almaz]] space station suggests that the military usefulness of human spaceflight is quite limited and that practically all military uses of space are much more effectively performed by uncrewed satellites. Thus while the Shenzhou orbital module could be used for military reconnaissance, there appears to be no military reason for incorporating such a system in a crewed mission, as China could use purely uncrewed satellites for these purposes.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

== Shenzhou spacecraft ==
[[File:Post S-7 Shenzhou spacecraft.png|thumb|Post S-7 Shenzhou spacecraft diagram]]


The Shenzhou spacecraft resembles the Soviet Union's ''Soyuz'', although it is larger. Unlike the Soyuz, it features a powered orbital module capable of autonomous flight.

Like ''Soyuz'', ''Shenzhou'' consists of three modules: a forward [[Engineering:Orbital module|orbital module]] (轨道舱), a [[Engineering:Reentry capsule|reentry capsule]] (返回舱) in the middle, and an aft [[Engineering:Service module|service module]] (推进舱). This division is based on the principle of minimizing the amount of material to be returned to Earth. Anything placed in the orbital or service modules does not require [[Astronomy:Heat shield|heat shield]]ing, and this greatly increases the space available in the spacecraft without increasing weight as much as it would need to be if those modules needed to withstand reentry.
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== Missions launched ==

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" class="nowraplinks" style="margin: 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse"
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Patch !! Mission !! Launch !! style="width:8em" | Duration !! Landing !! style= "width: 150px"| Crew !! Notes
|- 
|
| Shenzhou 1 
| 19 November 1999 
| 21 h 11 m 
| 20 November 1999 
| N/A
| Uncrewed test flight
|-
|
| Shenzhou 2 
| 9 January 2001 
| 7 d 10 h 22 m 
| 16 <br> January 2001 
| N/A
| Carried scientific payload including monkey, dog, rabbit and other animals.
|-
|
| Shenzhou 3 
| 25 March 2002 
| 6 d 18 h 51 m 
| 1 <br> April 2002 
| N/A
| Carried a test dummy.
|-
| || Shenzhou 4 || 29 December 2002 || 6 d 18 h 36 m || 5 <br> January 2003 || N/A || Carried a test dummy and several science experiments.
|-
| [[Image:Shenzhou 5 insignia.PNG|40px]]
|| [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 5|Shenzhou 5]] || 15 October 2003 || 21 h 22 m 45 s || 15 October 2003 ||{{flagicon|China}} Yang Liwei || First Chinese crewed flight, 14 Earth orbits.
|-
| [[Image:Shenzhou 6 mission patch.svg|40px]]
|| [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 6|Shenzhou 6]] || 12 October 2005 || 4 d 19 h 33 m || 16 October 2005 ||{{flagicon|China}} Fei Junlong <br/> {{flagicon|China}} Nie Haisheng || Multiple days in space, 75 orbits.
|- class="nowrap"
|-
| [[Image:Shenzhou 7 mission patch.png|40px]] || [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 7|Shenzhou 7]] || 25 September 2008 || 2 d 20 h 27 m || 28 September 2008 ||{{flagicon|China}} Zhai Zhigang<br/> {{flagicon|China}} Liu Boming<br/> {{flagicon|China}} Jing Haipeng || First three-person crew, first Chinese spacewalk.
|-
| || Shenzhou 8 || 31 October 2011 || 16 d 13 h 34 m || 17 November 2011 || N/A || Uncrewed mission, rendezvoused and docked with Tiangong-1.
|-
|
|| [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 9|Shenzhou 9]] || 16 June 2012 || 12 d 15 h 24 m || 29 June 2012 ||{{flagicon|China}} Jing Haipeng<br/> {{flagicon|China}} Liu Wang<br/> {{flagicon|China}} Liu Yang || First Chinese woman in space; first repeated flight; first crewed docking with Tiangong-1 space station, 18 June 2012, 06:07 UTC.<ref>
{{cite news|author=Jonathan Amos|title=Shenzhou-9 docks with Tiangong-1|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18481806|work=BBC|date=18 June 2012|access-date=21 June 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[File:Shenzhou-10.png|40px]]
|| [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 10|Shenzhou 10]] || 11 June 2013 || 14 d 14 h 29 m || 26 June 2013 || class="nowraplinks" |{{flagicon|China}} Nie Haisheng<br/> {{flagicon|China}} Zhang Xiaoguang<br/> {{flagicon|China}} Wang Yaping || Second Chinese woman in space; second crewed docking with Tiangong-1 space station.
|-
| [[File:Shenzhou-11 mission patch.png|40px]]
|| [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 11|Shenzhou 11]] ||17 October 2016 || 32 d 06 h 29 m || 18 November 2016 ||{{flagicon|China}} Jing Haipeng <br /> {{flagicon|China}} Chen Dong  || First  and only crewed docking with [[Engineering:Tiangong-2|Tiangong-2]] space station, crew set record for longest Chinese crewed spaceflight.
|}

===Future missions===
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" class="nowraplinks" style="margin: 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse"
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Patch !! Mission !! Launch !! style="width:8em" | Duration !! Landing !! style= "width: 150px"| Crew !! Notes
|-
| [[File:Shenzhou 12 insignia.png|40px]] || [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 12|Shenzhou 12]] || 10 June 2021<ref name="sff-sz12" /> || TBA || September 2021<ref name="sff-sz12" /> || {{flagicon|China}} Nie Haisheng<br> {{flagicon|China}} Deng Qingming<br> {{flagicon|China}} Ye Guangfu|| Scheduled to visit Tianhe Core Module to begin construction of the Chinese Space Station.<ref name="sff-sz12">{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/long-march-2f-launch-shenzhou-12-manned-spaceship |title=长征二号F/G Y12 • 神舟十二号载人飞船 • LongMarch 2F/G Y12 • Shenzhou-12 |work=spaceflightfans.cn |date=21 April 2021 |access-date=24 April 2021 |language=zh}}</ref><ref name="nsf-20210301">{{cite web |last=Barbosa |first=Rui C. |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/03/china-preparing-to-build-tiangong-station-in-2021-complete-by-2022/ |title=China preparing to build Tiangong station in 2021, complete by 2022 |work=NASASpaceFlight |date=1 March 2021 |accessdate=1 March 2021}}</ref> Crew has already been selected and will be announced closer to launch date.<ref>https://twitter.com/AJ_FI/status/1257644667258261510</ref><ref>https://www.shymkent.info/space/chinese-spaceflight/chinese-space-station-core-module-tianhe/</ref>
|-
| || [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 13|Shenzhou 13]] || October 2021<ref name="sff-sz13" /> || TBA || April 2022<ref name="sff-sz13" /> || {{flagicon|China}} Liu Boming <br> {{flagicon|China}} Chen Dong <br> {{flagicon|China}} Zhang Lu || Will continue construction of the Chinese Space Station.<ref name="sff-sz13">{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/cz-2f-shenzhou-13 |title=长征二号F/G Y13 • 神舟十三号载人飞船 • LongMarch 2F/G Y13 • Shenzhou-13 |work=spaceflightfans.cn |date=21 April 2021 |access-date=24 April 2021 |language=zh}}</ref><ref>https://www.shymkent.info/space/chinese-spaceflight/chinese-space-station-core-module-tianhe/</ref>
|-
| || [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 14|Shenzhou 14]] || May 2022<ref name="sff-sz14" /> || TBA || December 2022<ref name="sff-sz14" /> || {{flagicon|China}} Liu Wang <br> {{flagicon|China}} Liu Yang <br> {{flagicon|China}} Hongbo Tang || Will continue construction of the Chinese Space Station.<ref name="sff-sz14">{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/cz-2f-shenzhou-14 |title=长征二号F • 神舟十四号载人飞船（2022年待定） |trans-title=Long March 2F • Shenzhou-14 (2022 TBD) |work=spaceflightfans.cn |date=21 April 2021 |access-date=24 April 2021 |language=zh}}</ref>
|-
| || [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 15|Shenzhou 15]] || November 2022<ref name="sff-sz15" /> ||TBA || NET 2023 || {{flagicon|China}} Zhang Xiaoguang <br> {{flagicon|China}} Wang Yaping <br> {{flagicon|China}} Xuzhe Cai|| Will be the final of four scheduled crewed Shenzhou missions dedicated to completing the construction of the Chinese Space Station.<ref name="sff-sz15">{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/event/cz-2f-shenzhou-15 |title=长征二号F • 神舟十五号载人飞船（2022年待定） |trans-title=Long March 2F • Shenzhou-15 (2022 TBD) |work=spaceflightfans.cn |date=21 April 2021 |access-date=24 April 2021 |language=zh}}</ref>
|-
| || [[Engineering:Shenzhou 16|Shenzhou 16]] || 2023 ||TBA || NET 2023 || {{flagicon|China}} TBA <br> {{flagicon|China}} TBA <br> {{flagicon|China}} TBA|| Will deliver the first long-duration crew to the Chinese Space Station.
|-
|}

==Astronauts==

===November 1996 trainer selection===
There were two astronaut trainers selected for Project 921. They trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center in Russia.

* Li Qinglong – born August 1962 in Dingyuan, Anhui Province and PLAAF interceptor pilot and space instructor at [[Astronomy:Star City, Russia|Star City]]
* Wu Jie

===January 1998 astronaut candidate selection===
# Chen Quan
# Deng Qingming – from Jiangxi Province and PLAAF pilot, back up on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 11|Shenzhou 11]]
# Fei Junlong – second Chinese astronaut, commander of [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 6|Shenzhou 6]]
# Jing Haipeng – born October 1966 and PLAAF pilot, astronaut of [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 7|Shenzhou 7]], [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 9|Shenzhou 9]] and [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 11|Shenzhou 11]]
# Liu Boming – born September 1966 and PLAAF pilot, astronaut of [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 7|Shenzhou 7]]
# Liu Wang – born in Shanxi Province and PLAAF pilot, flew on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 9|Shenzhou 9]]
# Nie Haisheng – back up in [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 5|Shenzhou 5]], flight engineer on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 6|Shenzhou 6]], commander of [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 10|Shenzhou 10]]
# Pan Zhanchun – PLAAF pilot
# Yang Liwei – first man sent into space by the space program of China on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 5|Shenzhou 5]], made the PRC the third country to independently send people into space
# Zhai Zhigang – back up in [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 5|Shenzhou 5]], commander of [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 7|Shenzhou 7]]
# Zhang Xiaoguang – born in Liaoning Province and PLAAF pilot, flew on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 10|Shenzhou 10]]
# Zhao Chuandong – PLAAF pilot

===2010 astronaut candidate selection===
# Cai Xuzhe
# Chen Dong – flew on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 11|Shenzhou 11]]
# Liu Yang – first Chinese woman into space, flew on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 9|Shenzhou 9]]
# Tang Hongbo – back up on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 11|Shenzhou 11]]
# Wang Yaping – second Chinese woman into space, flew on [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 10|Shenzhou 10]]
# Ye Guangfu
# Zhang Hu

== See also ==
* Long March rocket
* Tiangong program
* Space program of China
* [[Organization:China National Space Administration|China National Space Administration]]
* Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

== References ==
;Specific
{{Reflist}}
;General
* {{cite web| url=http://www.astronautix.com/craft/shenzhou.htm| title=Shenzhou| access-date=21 July 2005| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051013060037/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/shenzhou.htm| archive-date=13 October 2005}}
* {{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2829349.stm|title=China's first astronaut revealed|publisher=BBC|date=7 March 2003}}
* {{cite web | url=http://www.cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/031006.htm|title=Brief history of Russian aid to Chinese space program|access-date=7 June 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070408034953/http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/031006.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 8 April 2007}}
* {{cite web| url=http://www.space.com/news/china_russia_991122.html| title=Details on purchase of Soyuz descent capsule by China, Space.com| access-date=7 June 2007| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602014951/http://www.space.com/news/china_russia_991122.html| archive-date=2 June 2008}}

== External links ==
{{commons|Shenzhou}}
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/shenzhou Flickr: Photos tagged with shenzhou], photos likely relating to Shenzhou spacecraft

{{Chinese space program}}
{{Crewed spacecraft}}
{{Future spaceflights}}
{{Spaceflight}}
{{Spaceflight lists and timelines}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shenzhou Program}}
[[Category:Crewed spacecraft]]
[[Category:Human spaceflight programs]]

{{Sourceattribution|Shenzhou program|1}}