Article Posted on : - Jan 05, 2009

The accompanying satellite of Shenzhou-VII orbital module has accomplished its preset mission after 100 days in space. Xinhua image

BEIJING (BNS): After 100 days in space, the accompanying satellite of Shenzhou-7 orbital module has accomplished its determined mission, according to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).

The agency said that this achievement marks the country’s preliminary mastery of satellite monitor technology. Since there is still some extra fuel left, the satellite will continue its flight for more scientific experiments, the BACC announced on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Chinese news agency Xinhua said that after being released on September 26, a day after the launch of China's third manned spacecraft, the accompanying satellite was adjusted 13 times through engine ignitions so that it could focus on the orbital module of Shenzhou-7.

Quoting the centre, Xinhua said that the accompanying satellite has being flying around the orbital module in an elliptical circle, with the farthest distance of 7.6 km and the nearest of 3.8 km. The satellite has sent back thousands of high-quality pictures of the orbital module, which were captured by its two cameras.

The agency quoting BACC said that the three astronauts aboard Shenzhou-7, Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, have ended their tours across the country, and they will continue their regular training course to prepare for the establishment of China's first space station.

It may be recalled that China successfully launched the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft on September 25 last year, making it the third country in the world to conduct extra-vehicular activity (EVA) in space following the former Soviet Union and the United States.