Chinese Astronaut Gives Live Video Lesson From Space
In this image taken and made from CCTV, Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping, seen on screen, listens to a question from a school girl in Beijing, China, during a live broadcast from onboard the Tiangong 1 prototype space station, June 20, 2013.
A Chinese astronaut orbiting 340 kilometers above Earth gave a live video lesson on gravity to school children in China on Thursday.
Wang Yaping, China's second female astronaut, is one of three crew members sent to space last week on the Shenzhou-10 spacecraft.
She delivered her lecture from the Tiangong-1 experimental space lab, which China views as a prototype for a full-fledged space station.
Wang participated in a question-and-answer session with students in a Beijing school. She also conducted a series of experiments demonstrating how objects react in zero gravity.
State media said more than 60 million students and teachers were expected to watch the lecture, which is the first of its kind for China.
Although it remains behind the U.S. and Russia, China's space program has made major breakthroughs in a relatively short time. In 2003, China sent its first astronaut to space. Five years later, it completed its first spacewalk.
Beijing views the latest 15-day mission, its longest ever, as an important step toward the building of a permanent space station, which China hopes to complete by 2020.
It is not involved in the International Space Station project, partly because of objections from Washington, where many view Beijing's military-backed space program with suspicion.
Chinese Astronaut Gives Live Video Lesson From Space
1/6A student looks at his iPad as his class watches a live broadcast of a lecture given by astronauts from the Tiangong-1 space module, at a primary school in Quzhou, Zhejiang province, China, June 20, 2013.
A Chinese astronaut orbiting 340 kilometers above Earth has given a live video lesson on gravity to school children in China.
2/6Students watch a live broadcast of a lecture given by astronauts on the Tiangong-1 space module, at a school in Beijing, June 20, 2013.
A Chinese astronaut orbiting 340 kilometers above Earth has given a live video lesson on gravity to school children in China.
3/6The Long March 2-F rocket loaded with the Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft lifts off from the launch pad in the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu province, June 11, 2013.
A Chinese astronaut orbiting 340 kilometers above Earth has given a live video lesson on gravity to school children in China.
4/6People watch as the Long March 2-F rocket loaded with the Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft lifts off, Gansu province, China, June 11, 2013.
A Chinese astronaut orbiting 340 kilometers above Earth has given a live video lesson on gravity to school children in China.
5/6A soldier runs away from the launch pad holding the Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft at Jiuquan satellite launch center in Jiuquan, Gansu province, China, June 10, 2013.
A Chinese astronaut orbiting 340 kilometers above Earth has given a live video lesson on gravity to school children in China.
6/6Chinese astronauts (from L to R) Wang Yaping, Zhang Xiaoguang and Nie Haisheng wave before leaving for the Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft mission, Gansu province, June 11, 2013.
A Chinese astronaut orbiting 340 kilometers above Earth has given a live video lesson on gravity to school children in China.
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