[RightWhale]

yuhangyuan

What is that literally? people who go around and around?

[leadhead]

"Yuhangyuan" means "space navigator" or "space space traveller" (Yu - space, Yang - navigation, Yuan - "-or/er/st"). It is one of Chinese terms of taikonaut. Others include "Hangtianyuan" and "Taikongren", among which only the latter are popularily used in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and overseas Chinese. All above 3 words use strict Chinese roman spelling system (Pingying). "Taikonaut" is derieved from "Taikongren". The modification is to make the word more consistent with astronaut and cosmonaut. I don't think Yuhangyuan is better. It is not used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is too long and looks complex and difficult to speak. Chen Lan

[Jay W]

Isn't the Shenzhou spacecraft pretty much a replica of the Russian Soyuz model? I recall looking at a news picture of a test of an unmanned Shenzhou after it'd landed back on Earth, and the capsule appeared remarkably similar to the Soyuz reentry vehicle.

[GuillermoX]

I;m surprised they haven't named any of their rockets/facilities after their benefactor, Herr Klinkton.

[Brian Allen]

This year, space exploration.

Next century, move one billion "chinese" from the middle ages and into the eighteenth century!

[Brett66]

I guess they'll be sending the first humans up next year, then we'll see the heavy booster configurations of the Shenzou. I've read about three different scenarios that are possible when the heavy boosters are operational:

1. They build a space station and then go to the moon.

2. They build a space station, RLV and then go to the moon.

3. They go straight to the moon.

It's going to be interesting to watch this unfold the next few years. They show tremendous ambition, I think option 3 favors their ambitions the most.