The first taikonauts arrive at the new Chinese space station
The three taikonauts in the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft during takeoff on June 17, 2021 (video capture).
VIA REUTERS - HANDOUT
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4 min
Three months.
This is the time that will spend the three taikonauts who entered the new Chinese space station on Thursday for the first time.
It is the first flight organized by Beijing since 2016 and the longest in Chinese history.
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The three taikonauts, whose names were only revealed the day before, were shown on Chinese television entering the first module dubbed Tianhe ("Heavenly Harmony"), one of the astronauts performing a 360-degree somersault at the during this operation.
On board, the astronauts will not be idle: maintenance, installation of equipment, spacewalks, preparation of upcoming construction missions and stays of future crews.
The Shenzhou-12 mission is the third launch of the 11 required for the construction of the station between 2021 and 2022. Four manned missions are planned in total.
In a context of tension with the West, the success of the mission is a matter of prestige for Beijing, which is preparing to celebrate on July 1 the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Chinese ambitions "
all over the place
"
It is also a decisive step for Beijing in the midst of technological rivalry with Washington.
Chinese ambitions are "in
all directions
" according to Marc Julienne, researcher at the Asia Center of the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri) who explains that this can create fears at the global level, because "
a vast majority of space technologies have value. both civilian and military.
"
When you master space, you can use outer space for military purposes, and that's what worries Americans in the first place.
Marc Julienne, researcher at the Asia Center of the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri)
In addition to Tianhe already in place, the two remaining modules (which will be laboratories) should be sent into space in 2022. These will allow experiments in biotechnology, medicine, astronomy and even space technologies to be carried out.
China resolved to build its own station in space after the United States refused to let it participate in the ISS.
The latter - which brings together the United States, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan - is due to retire in 2024, even though NASA has mentioned a possible extension beyond 2028.
"
We are ready to cooperate with any country that is committed to the peaceful use of outer space,
" a senior official of the China Human Manned Flight Agency (CMSA) Ji Qiming said on Wednesday.
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To listen and read also: China in the conquest of space
(With
AFP
)
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