The orbital module of the Chinese Shen Zhou 2 spacecraft re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on 24 August after 260 days in orbit. The re-entry capsule had landed on 16 January, six days after the launch of the second test flight of the spacecraft aboard a Long March 2F booster from Jiuquan. The orbital module made several orbital manoeuvres in preparation for a manned flight, which is expected in late 2002.
Source: Flight International
China’s AVIC has secured a contract from the China Manned Space Agency to develop a winged, reusable spacecraft called Haolong.
The UK Space Command’s first owned earth observation microsatellite has been launched, providing the inaugural element of a planned space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) constellation.
Orbital launch pioneer SpaceX is being contracted by the American space agency NASA to develop a so-called “US Deorbit Vehicle” that can safely return the International Space Station to Earth via controlled re-entry.
