Second manned space mission ready in Sept.
(Shenzhen Daily)
Updated: 2004-12-24 11:29

China's second manned space mission would take place in September 2005, the Beijing News quoted a high-ranking space official as saying Thursday.

Huang Chunping, chief commander of China’s first manned space flight, announced the time frame Wednesday, the Beijing News said.

“Shenzhou VI is scheduled to be launched in September next year,” Huang was quoted as saying.

Officials had previously said the launch would be next autumn but had not revealed the month.

Training for the space mission was going “very well” and according to schedule.

“Everything is going according to plan. The training is very successful and is first-rate,” China’s first astronaut Yang Liwei, who manned Shenzhou V in China’s maiden manned mission in October 2003, told CCTV on Wednesday.

“The astronauts will be able to complete their training on time and meet the requirements to greet Shenzhou VI’s launching next year.”

Shenzhou VI will orbit Earth for five days with two astronauts on board, previous reports have said.

CCTV on Wednesday gave a rare glimpse of would-be astronauts in the next manned space mission, showing trainees in simulated zero gravity doing somersaults and holding up the national flag.

CCTV showed astronauts in training being spun blindfolded in a mock space capsule and doing somersaults in simulated weightlessness. A pair of toy stuffed panda bears floated past the camera while a trainee in a space helmet waved a Chinese flag.

The report did not say where or when the session took place.

Fourteen astronauts are in training for the flight. All are military pilots.

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