HARBIN: China’s astronauts are eager to join space flights with foreign counterparts, according to the crew commander of the Shenzhou-10 manned space mission in 2013.
In an exclusive interview broadcast by CNN on Friday, Nie Haisheng also said the country’s space station will welcome foreign astronauts.
“As an astronaut, I have a very strong desire to fly space missions with astronauts from other countries. And I look forward to the opportunity to go to the International Space Station,” Nie said.
Zhang Xiaoguang and Wang Yaping, crew members of the Shenzhou-10 mission, which lasted 15 days and remains the longest space operation by Chinese astronauts, also shared their personal experiences.
The International Space Station is a joint endeavor by the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan and the European Space Agency. However, due to a US law introduced in 2011, China is barred from participating even though its space officials have repeatedly expressed an interest in it.
The focus of China’s space effort is on launching Tiangong-2, the country’s second experimental space lab, and preparatory work for the future space station, according to Nie.
China started its manned space program in September 1992 and has launched 10 Shenzhou spacecraft, five of them being manned missions, and the Tiangong-1 space lab.
Yang Liwei, the country’s first man in space and now deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency, has told China Daily that China is open to cooperation with other nations in its space station project.
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