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China sends first civilian to its Tiangong space station

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As China plans to send a crewed mission to the moon by 2030, three astronauts including one civilian for the first time were sent to Chinese space outpost Tiangong space station Tuesday Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China.

China has poured billions of dollars into its space programme as Russia and US claim success in their space exploration activities.

The Shenzhou-16 crew took off atop a Long March 2F rocket as Zou Lipeng, director of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center regarded it a “complete success” and the “astronauts are in good condition.”

The launch was attended by a large number of employees that were resided live year-round on the huge site, capturing pictures with the rocket in the background.

Commander Jing Haipeng was leading the mission which makes his fourth alongside engineer Zhu Yangzhu and Beihang University professor Gui Haichao, the first Chinese civilian in space.

Staff members from the China space program stand before the launch platform of the Shenzhou-16 Manned Space Flight Mission one day before launch at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Chinas northwestern Gansu province on May 29, 2023. — AFP
Staff members from the China space program stand before the launch platform of the Shenzhou-16 Manned Space Flight Mission one day before launch at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China’s northwestern Gansu province on May 29, 2023. — AFP

China became the third country to send humans into orbit and Tiangong is the crown jewel of its space programme, which has also landed robotic rovers on Mars — Zhurong (rover) — and the Moon.

According to AFP, the Shenzhou craft will dock at the space station’s Tianhe core module.

After docking, the newly sent astronauts will meet their three colleagues from the Shenzhou-15 flight, who have been at the station for six months and will return to Earth in the coming days.

In the orbit, Shenzhou-16 will conduct several experiments, including “high-precision space time-frequency systems”, general relativity, and into the origin of life, CMSA spokesperson Lin Xiqiang told reporters Monday.

The Chinese space station was resupplied with drinking water, clothing, food and propellant this month in preparation for Shenzhou-16’s arrival.

An expert told AFP that Tuesday’s mission represented “a regular crew rotation flight”, but even that was significant.

“Accumulating depth of experience in human spaceflight operations is important and doesn’t involve new spectacular milestones all the time,” said Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Xi Jinping’s space dream

Under Chinese President Xi Jinping, plans for China’s “space dream” have begun to start rolling.

Beijing is eyeing to establish a lunar base and CMSA spokesman Lin on Monday reaffirmed Beijing’s plan to land a manned mission there by 2030.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets the media following the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. — Reuters/File
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets the media following the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. — Reuters/File

“The overall goal is to achieve China’s first manned landing on the Moon by 2030 and carry out lunar scientific exploration and related technological experiments,” CMSA said.

The final module of the T-shaped Tiangong — which means “heavenly palace” — successfully docked with the core structure last year.

According to Xinhua report, the station carries a number of pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment including “the world’s first space-based cold atomic clock system.”

The Tiangong is likely to stay in low Earth orbit at between 400 and 450 kilometres (250 and 280 miles) above the planet for at least 10 years.

It is constantly crewed by rotating teams of three astronauts.

As Beijing does not have any plans to use Tiangong for global cooperation on the scale of the International Space Station (ISS), China said it is open to foreign collaboration.

China “is looking forward to and welcomes the participation of foreign astronauts in the country’s space station flight missions,” Lin said Monday.

China plans to send two crewed space missions to Tiangong every year, according to the CMSA.

The next will be Shenzhou-17, with an expected launch in October.

China has been effectively excluded from the ISS since 2011 when the US prohibited Nasa from keeping any engagement with the world’s second-largest economy.

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Punjab will provide fifty thousand solar kits.

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On Tuesday,Tuesday, while presiding over a review meeting on solar household solutions, the CM gave the order to begin the installation of one kilowatt solar systems right away. She also gave the order to introduce the newest solar systems.

Phase-I solar systems would be balloted for by 50,000 protected users who use 100 units each month, at a cost of Rs 12.6 billion.

Home-based solar systems will eventually be made available to other Punjabi consumers. A solar system will consist of a battery, inverter, sophisticated solar plate, and more related accessories.

Attending the meeting were Provincial Information Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, MPA Sania Ashiq, Former Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning and Development, Secretaries of Energy, Finance, and Punjab Power Development Board (PPDB) Managing Director, in addition to other pertinent officers.

During his inaugural speech as Punjab’s chief minister, Maryam Nawaz outlined her five-year plan and promised to develop a strategy for customers who use fewer than 300 units of power.

According to Maryam Nawaz, the PML-N’s main goals for her term will be to provide jobs, healthcare, and education.

She said, “I am working on a plan to provide solar panels to consumers using up to 300 units of electricity or less in installments.”

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Pakistan

There will be free WiFi in public parks.

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The discussion on the province’s capital city’s beautification was chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

CM Gandapur gave the pertinent authorities instructions at the meeting to complete the arrangements and submit the free WiFi service plan for the province government’s approval.

In the following phase, he said, the service will be extended to more cities. In addition, the chief minister gave the Peshawar Development Authority instructions to create a beatification plan for the city.

The meeting voted to launch a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service on Nasir Bagh Road in the province capital with the goal of facilitating the easy mobility of the population.

CM Gandapur pushed for the installation of underpasses rather than overhead bridges and ordered the city’s street lights to be converted to solar power.

The chief minister gave the order to begin work on the road around the BRT Corridor at University Road as well as the building of the remaining section of Warsak-Nasir Bagh Road right away.

In order to promote KP’s culture, he also oversaw the installation of fake plants on all road walks and painted headbridges and walls with designs.

The chief minister of KP gave the order to approach business organizations for assistance in this respect.

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Pakistan

FM Ishaq Dar praises IAEA for using nuclear technology in a “peaceful” manner

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During a meeting with IAEA Director General (DG) Rafael Mariano Grossi outside the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels, Pakistan, a founding member of the Agency, stressed the importance of the Agency’s work.

He stated that Pakistan placed a high value on the Agency’s efforts as a founding member.

The foreign minister also emphasized Pakistan’s goal to increase the proportion of nuclear energy in the country’s energy mix and the significance of nuclear energy in the fight against climate change.

Ishaq Dar went on to stress the importance of the Agency’s technical cooperation initiatives, to which Pakistan makes a major contribution as well.

According to the foreign minister, banks and other international financial institutions should support nuclear energy projects in developing nations so that those countries may meet their energy needs and meet their zero emissions commitments.

He requested that the IAEA continue raising global understanding of the benefits of nuclear energy as a clean energy source.

The director general of the IAEA commended Pakistan for its cooperation. Rafael Mariano Grossi continued by saying that Pakistan is essential in helping emerging nations by sharing knowledge and experience.

He acknowledged that there was a problem with financing nuclear projects and promised to work with international financial institutions to find a solution as quickly as possible.

The director general of the IAEA reflected fondly on his visit to Pakistan earlier in the year, when he inspected the country’s facilities and witnessed firsthand its progress in the peaceful applications of nuclear technology.

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