ShenZhou 2

Crew:
    Unmanned
Launch:
    Date: 9 January 2001
    Time: 17:00 UTC
    Location: Jiuquan, LA-4/SLS-1
Landing:
    Date: 16 January 2001
    Time: 11:22 UTC
Duration: 6 days, 18 hours, 22 minutes
Orbits: 107

This unmanned flight was a modification of ShenZhou 1 and flown to test the life support systems. A total of 64 experiments were carried on the flight (12 in the orbital module, 15 in the descent module (including a dog, a monkey, and a rabbit), and 37 in an add on package). Because of the lack of news or photos concerning the landing of ShenZhou 2, a landing failure is suspected. (It appears that a failure of a parachute connection led to a hard landing). Fate of the animals is unknown, but some of the cargo was reportedly burned in the landing. The orbital module reentered on 24 August 2001.

(ShenZhou 2 on the launch pad. Credit Xinhau News. Click to enlarge - 54541 bytes).

 

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Page last modified: 29 October 2024 17:16:53.