Witness Shenzhou V tracked by vessel Yuanwang-3

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, October 18, 2003

Witness Shenzhou V tracked by vessel Yuanwang-3

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At 21:04, October 15 South Atlantic time, i.e. 05:04 October 16 Beijing time, a bell ringing for 25 seconds broke the silence over the South Atlantic. This signals the "30 minutes' preparation for the recovery sector to enter the first-class deployment for monitoring and commanding the spaceship". With the clear command coming from the loudspeaker, now it's the time for all crew and staffs to get ready at their posts for the last minute preparation.

Everybody is deeply aware that "Shenzhou V" manned spacecraft has entered its last, the fourteenth circle round the earth and it's time for it to go home now. When the spacecraft is flying over the South Atlantic, there are only about 400 seconds left for Yuangwang-3 tracking ship to complete a series of highly difficult actions to "catch" the spacecraft and track it steadily, to send out the station-entry chain, the first attitude correction, separation of orbital and returning modules, the second attitude correction, the ignition of the orbit-changing drive for the slowdown control of the spacecraft and timely ending the slowdown.

With the swift passing of the time comes the "one-minute preparation" order. The chief USB operator Zhang Xudong holds firmly the antenna controller pole, staring at the oscillograph in front of him. In an instant, a bright spot comes into appearance on the oscillograph and the main antenna beam catches it firmly at once.

"330 discovers the target", "Changjiang No. 3 USB discovers the target", Xu Ning, deputy chief in charge of the monitoring and measurement takes up the bi-directional operation for the catch himself. As the major antenna is tracking steadily, he completed the bi-directional catch within 5 seconds by pressing several buttons in succession.

One minute later, soon after the station-entering elevation angle of the spacecraft reached 7 degree, Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center (BACCC) gave the order to "send the station-entry chain out", then the graphic and power-supply equipment on the spacecraft is turned on.

"Now start the first attitude correction." Beijing Command Center sent out successive orders. By and by, the spacecraft starts to return smoothly along the preset orbit while the tracking elevation is descending slowly.

When the tracking elevation descends to 5 degrees, the central machine reported "the ending of the remote control", and it starts the orbit determination and the calculation of parameters at all separation points.

4 degree, 3 degree, 2 degree, 1 degree, the USB radar antenna has been tracing the spacecraft all along. "330 tracking finished", "Changjiang No. 3 tracking finished". With this report, statistics indicate all parts are in normal operation. Yuanwang-3 Vessel completed the task successfully. The returning module of the spacecraft is gradually approaching the earth, flying toward the landing field preset in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

At 22:42 Atlantic Ocean time, i.e. 06:42 Beijing time, with people expecting anxiously, the news of the successful landing of "Shenzhou��" is finally announced from Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center.

We've made it! Over 300 staff members on Yuangwang-3 tracking ship explode into cheers. Many people cannot help withhold their tears of excitement with continuous applause reverberating over the vast Atlantic Ocean.

By PD Online staff member Gao Lanrong

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