When Yang Liwei, the first Chinese-trained astronaut in space, stepped out of the capsule of Shenzhou V at 6:23 am Beijing time yesterday, the launch and return of Shenzhou V turned was a complete success.

But it's impossible for Yang to easily forget the hard days he experienced in the selection and training process for becoming an astronaut and instant national hero.

"It's really a hard job when it comes to the training and various requirements,'' Yang said in a TV interview before heading into space.

"But that means nothing when we think of the dream cherished by all generations of Chinese people, and the hope it will come true," he added.

The historic manned space flight has made Yang a celebrity of the first order, yet there are hundreds more heroes behind the scenes.

The first generation of Chinese astronauts were chosen from among 1,500 fighter pilots in the air force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, according to Su Shuangning, commander-in-chief and chief designer of astronaut systems in China's manned space programme.

Both the excellent physical and psychological conditions and quick response capabilities of the astronauts ensured the success of the first manned space flight, he said after the launch and return of Shenzhou V yesterday.

The selection standards are very rigorous, with only one of 100 meeting the requirements, Su said.

China started its astronaut selection process in 1996 and about 600 pilots qualified in the preliminary round, with just 60 left after a second round of cuts.

The selectees then came to Beijing for a thorough physical check-up and psychological testing. Those who survived the examination formed the current astronaut team.

"All the finalists are college graduates and have flying experience of at least 1,000 hours," Su said.

According to the selection criteria, the standard figure for a Chinese astronaut is around 1.7 metres with a weight of about 65 kilograms.

"This is the standard build of an ordinary Chinese man, but people of smaller build are preferred considering the limited space of the capsule," Su said.

Physical check-ups for astronauts are complicated, with the candidates hospitalized for a month to receive comprehensive check-ups so that any potential diseases can be excluded, Su said.

The restrictive selection criteria are necessary since the astronauts have to deal with various difficult problems on the mission, he said.

The chosen astronauts experienced three stages of tough training: basic theory, special skills and flying operations, Su said.

In the first stage, the candidates have show excellent knowledge of basic theories of space flight such as flight dynamics, astronautics and astronomy, as well design principles of rockets and spacecraft.

In the second stage, astronauts must grasp all facets of the structure and composition of the spaceship and its operational modes.

In the third stage, astronauts are required to enter the simulators similar to the real spaceship to take flights including the complete process from launch through entering orbit until returning and landing.

Unexpected obstacles are often set up by coaches to test astronauts' abilities to find, judge and solve problems, Su said.

"Physical training and endurance tests in special environments go on throughout the training process to ensure each person can work efficiently in space," Su added.

In order to deal with zero gravity after the spaceship enters orbit, astronauts are required to do negative pressure training, Yang said.

"We often do training on swings and revolving chairs to adapt to the environment of space movements," Yang said.

The 38-year-old astronaut added that survival skills are an important part of astronaut training because astronauts must be ready if spacecraft miss their designated landing areas. Search and rescue teams might be unable to reach the sites right away, and astronauts must be able to fend for themselves.

Exercises are done in a variety of climates and terrains including water and desert conditions, Yang said.

The training also keys on on blastoffs and landings.

"Takeoffs and landings are at high speed making them complex and demanding. Supersonic flight, high-altitude flight and high-speed maneuvering all require the application of technical precision while coping with air pressure variations and pulling G-forces several times normal,'' Su said.

"And the unique brand of qualities that fighter pilots have developed to cope with emergency situations like parachute ejections, coupled with a high level of problem solving skills, means they have particularly valuable experience to bring to their new roles.''

At the same time, as the safety of the astronauts is closely related to the rocket and manned craft systems, there is zero tolerance for glitches or deficiencies in the design and manufacture of rockets and spacecraft, said Xu Dazhe, who leads a test panel at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre.

Xu's team is responsible for the preparation of the mission of Long March II-F and Shenzhou V spacecraft.

It usually takes from three to five years to finish the full training --equivalent to undertaking a university education, experts said.

In order to guarantee the astronauts' safety, preparation is extremely careful.

Liu Zongying, designer of the living compartment for the spacecraft, said the cabin, which serves the living space of the astronauts, was fashioned considering the astronauts.

"Both medical and ergonomic factors have been taken into consideration,'' he said.

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