Testing statistics from the Beijing Spaceflight Control Center (BSCC) indicated that up to 3:44 AM on December 17, the orbital module of Shenzhou VI has run properly in outer space for 60 days and circled around the earth for over 1,000 times. Platform of the orbital module was under normal working condition, and various scientific tests proceeded smoothly as scheduled and achieved initial progress.
Liu Junze, director of the spacecraft management office of BSCC, remarked that at 4:27 AM on October 17, the orbital module of Shenzhou VI was separated from the re-entry module, which landed smoothly as planned. The orbital module started its over six-month space travel under the unified command of BSCC.
Various items of testing statistics show that systems of the orbital module such as power supply, attitude control, testing control and statistics management are functioning properly and scientific instruments for exploration in the module has begun to run. The orbital module has finished in-orbit tests of platform and various tests for scientific application successfully and achieved a great deal of scientific statistics and results of initial application. Moreover, some new technologies and measures for improvement used for the first time were initially tested and verified so as to lay a solid foundation for manned spaceflight and spacecraft rendezvous and docking.
(China News Service December 19, 2005)
