Shenzhou (’Divine Vessel’) V launched this morning from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province (or Inner Mongolia, depending on who you read) carrying Yang Liwei, a 38-year old People’s Liberation Army Air Force lieutenant colonel. Despite earlier promises, live coverage of the launch was called off, citing advice from “space experts” (read: Beijing was afraid that if the rocket were to fireball on the pad or something equally horrible happened they would lose too much face to make the risk worthwhile), and so the first video footage came about twenty minutes after the launch (which would have been about ten minutes after the spacecraft had successful achieved orbital insertion). The mission is due to end in 21 hours, after 14 orbits.

I have to say that, for the most part, the launch was extremely anticlimactic. Perhaps it was the fact that I couldn’t see it live (which, I think, was a big mistake on Beijing’s part… seeing a tape delay just doesn’t have the same effect), or that it was the first rocket launch I’ve ever watched on television and was unable to then walk outside and see with my own eyes (in that sense I realize I’m extremely spoiled). Maybe it’s that both the United States and Soviet Union did this very same thing forty years ago.

That’s not to say I’m not happy for China. I think it’s great that another country is getting into the space race (though it’s not much of a race anymore, is it?), and I hope it influences the United States to up NASA’s budget so that we can compete more effectively (but I’m not holding my breath). And in a little way I’m proud that my adopted home has managed to engage in one of the greatest adventures mankind has ever embarked on.

So, to reuse and oft reused quote: godspeed, Yang Liwei.

Posted by John on Wednesday, October 15th, 2003 at 12:15 am.