One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for China
Zhai joined the army, worked his way up through the ranks, and was selected for the space program in 1996. Today he begins one of the most daunting challenges to date. Zhai will become the first Chinese citizen to walk in space.
Zhai is one of three astronauts who today took off in the Shenzhou VII, China’s third manned space mission. These three 42-year-old former fighter pilots have been training together for over a decade, which they say should ensure a smooth mission.
China is only the third country, after the United States and former-Soviet Union, to launch astronauts into space, which remains a huge source of national pride. The support for the three astronauts making the trip rivals many Chinese Olympians.
Ironically, the launching of Shenzhou VII coincides with one of China’s most horrifying consumer safety crises in recent years. While it’s highly unlikely that this endeavor will calm the wrath of concerned parents, it could potentially cause citizens to question the nation’s priorities. Is a space program really necessary when food safety is suffering?
By contrast, for those not directly involved, a successful space program can also send a message that despite other social problems, China remains strong, and is now a leading space superpower.
Most view this launch as only the beginning for China’s space program. Officials hope to launch a space station by 2020 and ultimately put a man on the moon.
Though the U.S. space program remains the strongest worldwide, NASA could probably use some of the enthusiasm that China’s space program now enjoys. Considering that the last big domestic news story concerning the astronaut program focused on Lisa Marie Nowak, the jilted lover who drove across the country to avenge an ill-fated romance, there’s definitely room for some new excitement in the space program.
Perhaps Zhai Zhigang’s heroic story will inspire those in the U.S. as well.