Premier Wen sees off Shenzhou VI astronauts
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-10-12 07:36

The Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center has got ready for the launch of China's second manned spacecraft Wednesday morning, and officials said everything was going on well.

Minutes ago, the two astronauts, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, entered the capsule of spacecraft Shenzhou VI. They bound themselves to the seats and connected the wires of their spacesuits to the spacecraft, among other preparations for the launch in northwest China.

In the next few days of space flight, they will, for the first time, move from the return module into the orbital module of the 9.2-meter-long Shenzhou VI, where some laboratory tests will be conducted.

Before they headed for the launch site, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had a brief meeting with them and wished them a success in their space mission.

"I'm here to see you off with enormous warmth, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission as well as General Secretary Hu Jintao," said Wen.

The premier said he believes the astronauts will accomplish the glorious and sacred mission.

"You will once again show that the Chinese people have the will, confidence and capability to mount scientific peaks ceaselessly," he said.

The "duet" spacemen will start China's second manned space mission soon Wednesday morning. The first manned spacecraft, Shenzhou-5, carrying astronaut Yang Liwei, was put into orbit two years ago.