China launches first 'routine service mission' into space
The mainland's ambitious space programme has finished its experimental phase and begins regular service missions, authorities say
The "first routine service flight in China's manned space programme" has entered its final countdown, with three astronauts, one of them a woman, preparing for lift-off today .
Wu Ping, deputy director of the programme's administrative office, said the nine previous Shenzhou space flights had been experimental and burdened with untested technology or equipment, such as life support and manual docking systems.
But the Shenzhou X mission, scheduled to blast off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Inner Mongolia at 5.38pm, would transport cargo and astronauts to the Tiangong 1 space module and bring them back within 15 days, similar to routine flights to the International Space Station (ISS), Wu said.
The end of experimental phase and the start of service flights meant China had acquired nearly all the essential technology and equipment to start construction of its space laboratory and space station next year .
A highlight of the Shenzhou X mission will be a lesson for primary and high school pupils taught by female astronaut Major Wang Yaping .
Wang, who will travel into space with Major General Nie Haisheng and Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaoguang , will be China's second female astronaut and its first teacher in space.
With live video and audio feeds, Zhang will conduct experiments to demonstrate principles of physics such as Newton's laws of motion .