China to launch 15 to 16 satellites in 2009

BEIJING  -- China plans to launch 15 to 16 satellites this year, Zhang Jianqi, deputy chief commander of the manned space project, said here Monday.

"This is the first time for the country to conduct researches and production on three spacecraft at the same time," he said.

China plans to launch Tiangong-1, an unmanned space module, into orbit by the end of 2010, he said.

The country plans to launch the Shenzhou-8 and Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2011, a former chief designer of the manned-space project said earlier.

Zhang said the country is selecting a new batch of taikonauts, which may include the country's first female taikonaut.

China has sent an average of eight satellites into space annually during the first two years of its 11th five-year-plan (2006-2010), and the number was 1.5 before its ninth five-year-plan (1996-2000), figures from the China Academy of Space Technology showed.

• 下崗再就業(yè) Re-employment after being laid off
• 登記失業(yè)率 registered unemployment rate
• 擴(kuò)大內(nèi)需 propel/expand domestic demand

• 分組討論 panel discussion
• 城鄉(xiāng)差距 rural-urban divide
• 基本醫(yī)療保險(xiǎn) basic medical insurance
• 家電下鄉(xiāng)Home appliances going to the countryside
• 中小型企業(yè) SMEs
• more

• Experts have their say on financial crisis
• China not yet free of crisis fear
• Economist: Deficit no cause for alarm
• Crisis 'can bring China, US closer'
• China's growth significant for world
• more

• German media give full coverage to Premier's report
• Overseas press praise China's 8% economic growth
• German media: Economy tops agenda at NPC session
• From the foreign press
• World media keeps close watch on 'two sessions'
• more

• Corruption top issue for public
• China adopts Food Safety Law
• China's economic growth in 2009
• more