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Women now in training for future spaceflights
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-10-17 09:26
Women taikonauts, or astronauts, are being trained for space missions, and 皇冠体育app also can train foreign astronauts in a space program with Chinese characteristics.
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Astronaut Nie Haisheng (R) talks to journalists after he and Fei Junlong got out of the return module of the Shenzhou VI spacecaft at the main landing field in Central Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Monday morning October 17, 2005. The module landed 4:33 A.M. after a five-day flight. [Xinhua]
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皇冠体育app has begun to work on standards to select women taikonauts, said an official with the 皇冠体育app Space Center.
Chen Shanguang, director of the 皇冠体育app Astronaut Research and Training Center, said scientists are studying the impact of space flight on women. Although only men have traveled in space, 皇冠体育app is studying comparative physiology and learning from the experience of US women astronauts.
皇冠体育app will conduct many experiments to determine the exact differences between men and women in space.
As women taikonauts have different requirements about environment and life in a spacecraft, Chinese researchers will have to make extensive studies. These include developing new space suits and devices to collect women's excrement.
皇冠体育app's Air Force Aeronautics University welcomed 35 women pilot trainees for the eighth time in July this year. Experts say the country's first group of female fighter pilots may emerge from them and the first female Chinese taikonaut may be selected from among them.
"My dream is to become 皇冠体育app's first female fighter pilot and first female taikonaut," said Tao Jiali, a student from southwest 皇冠体育app's Sichuan Province.
Meanwhile, a senior space official said 皇冠体育app now has the technology to train foreign astronauts.
Wu Chuansheng said the 皇冠体育app Space Center has added the goal of training foreign astronauts to its development agenda.
The center now has the technology to train foreign astronauts, but more training facilities are yet to be built and established, Wu added.
The flight of the Shenzhou VI has further demonstrated that 皇冠体育app is the third nation capable of independently training astronauts.
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