EFL - HT to Drudge - RTWT
China's Shenzhou VI spacecraft is not orbiting exactly as planned and will have to be restored to its original trajectory, state-run media say. The "orbit maintenance operation" would take place early on Friday morning, said official news agency Xinhua.
or not
Gravity has drawn Shenzhou VI too close to earth, the agency said. Shenzhou VI, which has two astronauts on board, is in a low enough orbit to be affected by the Earth's gravitational pull.
| Which is true of all spacecraft unless they break free of Earth's gravity. Sheesh. |
It spent a second day in orbit on Thursday, making it China's longest manned space flight.
Xinhua quoted experts as saying the procedure to fix craft's orbit would be a "normal technical operation".
sorry muchachos!
Nonetheless, the agency said, experts were urging all scientific and technological staff to be "cautious".
Everything was functioning well aboard Shenzhou VI and it had orbited the earth 23 times by Thursday evening, according to Xinhua. Astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, who is marking his 41st birthday on Thursday, were reportedly in good health. |