Shenzhou-5

Crew

Yang Liwei

Status: Active
6/21/1965 -
Nationality: Chinese
Type: Government
First Flight: 10/15/2003
Last Flight: 10/15/2003

Yang Liwei is a major general, military pilot, and China National Space Administration astronaut. In October 2003, he became the first person sent into space by the Chinese space program. This mission, Shenzhou 5, made China the third country to independently send humans into space.

Rocket

Long March 2F – China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Family: Long March 2
Length: 62 m
Diameter: 3.35 m
Launch Mass: 464 T
Low Earth Orbit Capacity: 8400 kg

The Long March 2F was manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation with the first launch on 1999-11-19. Long March 2F has 9 successful launches and 0 failed launches with a total of 9 launches. The Long March 2F is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Designed to launch the crewed Shenzhou spacecraft, the Long March 2F is a human-rated two-stage version of the Long March 2E rocket, which in turn was based on the Long March 2C launch vehicle. It is launched from complex SLS at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

Agency

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Type: Government
Abbreviation: CASC
Administration: Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei
Founded: 1999
Launchers: Long March

Country: CHN

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.