China to launch manned spacecraft in Oct.
By Zhao Huanxin (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-07-15 06:02

China may launch its next manned space mission within three months, an aerospace official revealed yesterday.

A spacesuit sits on display at a space exhibition in Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Uyguir Autonomous Region on April 24, 2005. [newsphoto]

The country is also planning to put at least two more meteorological satellites into orbit before 2008 to provide better weather forecasting for the Olympics in Beijing, utility officials said.

"The manned spacecraft (Shenzhou VI) will ... preferably be launched in early October," Sun Weigang, director of the Space Department of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, told China Daily.

It was the latest update of the launch timetable for the country's second manned space flight, following Shenzhou V in October 2003.

Although Sun did not provide details about the new mission, space officials earlier said China has been preparing for the second manned venture into outer space since the first mission, piloted by Yang Liwei, almost two years ago.

Sun Laiyan, chief of the China National Space Administration, earlier told China Daily that Shenzhou VI will carry two men into orbit for five or six days.

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