Ssecond manned space flight slated for Sep.
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-12-23 15:11

China's second manned space mission will take place in September 2005, state media Thursday quoted a high ranking space official as saying.

China's first astronaut Yang Liwei and Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan sing a song named "A man should strive to improve himself constantly" at the Hong Kong Stadium November 1, 2003. [newsphoto.com.cn]

Huang Chunping, chief commander of China's first manned spaceflight, gave reporters the timeframe Wednesday, the Beijing News said.

"Shenzhou VI is scheduled to be launched in September next year," Huang was quoted as saying.

Officials had previously said the launch would be next autumn but had not revealed the month.

Training for the space mission was going "very well" and according to schedule.

"Everything is going according to plan. ... The training is very successful and is first rate," China's first astronaut Yang Liwei, who manned Shenzhou V in China's maiden manned mission in October 2003, told the Beijing Youth Daily.

"The astronauts will be able to complete their training duties on time and meet the requirements to greet Shenzhou VI's launching next year."

Shenzhou VI will orbit the Earth for five days with two astronauts onboard, previous reports have said.

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