Next space mission planned for October 13, report says
(AP/chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2005-09-26 13:52

Earlier reports said Yang would not be making this trip.

Instead, he is helping train former fighter pilots who are reportedly the candidates for Shenzhou VI. The initial group of 14 has been narrowed down to three pairs, or a total of six, the China News Service said.

It said Zhai Zhigang and Nie Haisheng, two alternates for Shenzhou V, were "the strongest group with the greatest confidence" for carrying out the mission.

Plans call for the capsule to carry two astronauts - or "taikonauts" for the Chinese word for space.

Beijing does not participate in the U.S.-led international space station project.

The report cited an unnamed researcher as saying that the new space capsule was not a duplicate of Shenzhou V due to more than 100 technological modifications that made it more conducive to scientific research.