China: naming astronauts for new asteroids

The astronomical agency under the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that they will name two astronauts Phi Tuan Long and Hanh Hai Thang for two new asteroids to honor the merits of the two men in the mission of launching ships. China's second manned shuttle in 2005.

Two astronauts Phi Tuan Long (left) and Nguu Hai Thang at a ceremony in Beijing on July 19, 2006 (Photo: Xinhua)

According to Yang Jiexing, committee secretary named asteroids, this decision was approved by the International Astronomical Society. The codename of these two asteroids is 9512 and 9517, coinciding with the time when the Shenzhou VI ship was launched into space and returned to Earth.

The Than Chau VI ship carrying two astronauts Tu Tuan Long and Hanh Hai Thang took off on October 12, 2005, circled the Earth for 5 days and returned on October 17, 2005.

China began naming asteroids in 1979. Yang Loi Wei, the astronaut who made China's first manned flight into space and the "Shenzhou" ship was also named for small planet. Big names like Qian Xuesen, the father of the Chinese rocket and space industry and Yang Zhenning, a Nobel laureate in physics, are also named for asteroids in the universe.

China's third manned flight into space is expected to take place in 2008 on Shenzhou VII.

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