China countdown to space launch

Posted on: Oct. 11th, 2005 || Source: news.bbc.co.uk | E-mail Article | Print Article

China plans to launch its second manned spacecraft on Wednesday morning, space officials have told the official Xinhua news agency.

Officials also told Xinhua that two astronauts had been chosen for the Shenzhou VI mission, though they have not yet been publicly named.

Earlier reports indicated the craft is set to orbit the earth for five days.

China sees its space programme as an important symbol of its emergence as a world power.

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