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Shenzhou VI set to take off this morning
(chinadaily.com.cn/Agencies)
Updated: 2005-10-11 15:59
China's second manned spacecraft is to be launched between 8:00am and 9:00am
Wednesday morning Beijing time from a major space center in its northwestern
Gansu Province, after a crucial ruling Communist Party meeting concludes in
Beijing on Tuesday.
Zhai Zhigang (left)
and Nie Haisheng, candidates for China's second manned spacecraft Shenzhou
VI said to be launched Wednesday morning from Jiuquan satellite lanuch
center in northwest China, sing at an evening party celebrating the
success of Shenzhou V manned space mission in this October 22, 2003 file
photo. Zhai and Nie are the favourte of the three pairs of astronauts for
Shenzhou VI. [Sina/China Foto Press] |
The Shenzhou VI will carry two astronauts into the orbit from the Jiuquan
Satellite Launch Center, Xinhua news agency said.
The craft is expected to land at a site in central Inner Mongolia Autonomous
Region. Two astronauts from a pool of six candidates will be chosen by a panel
of experts late Tuesday or early Wednesday to aboard the spaceship and stay in
out space for a planned 6 days.
Zhai Zhigang and Nie Haisheng are favorites to pilot the
mission, according to reports of local media.
Final preparations for the launch are going smoothly, the Xinhua news agency
said.
A top-ranking state leader is expected to be on the scene to see the two
astronauts off into the sky at the launch site. Colonel Yang Liwei, China's
first astronaut who orbited Earth 14 times on the Shenzhou V craft in October
2003, has already arrived at Jiuquan city. Chinese President Hu Jintao flew to
Jiuquan in 2003 to see Yang off.
China’s state-owned Central Television Station will telecast the launch live.
Wang Yongzhi, chief designer of China's manned space flight program, said the
two astronauts on Shenzhou-VI will for the first time enter into the orbital
module from the re-entry capsule and live and work several days under
micro-gravity conditions.
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