Posted: Sun, Feb 22, 2004, 1:58 PM ET (1858 GMT)
Chinese officials said Saturday that nation's next manned spaceflight, Shenzhou 6, would place two people into orbit for several days some time next year. Wang Yongzhi, chief designer of the Shenzhou program, told the Chinese TV network CCTV that Shenzhou 6 was scheduled for launch next year, although he did not specify when in the year the launch would take place. Unlike Shenzhou 5, which carried a single astronaut into orbit for one day, this flight would carry two people who would remain in orbit for between five and seven days. He added that China also planned to launch a "space laboratory" into orbit in 2007 that would be visited by future Shenzhou missions; the lab would be the first step towards a space station. Wang's comments confirm earlier reports and rumors that China would wait until 2005 to carry out its second manned spaceflight. Wang was interviewed after receiving a state science and technology award worth five million yuan (US$605,000) from Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing on Friday.

Related Links:

•  CCTV article
•  Xinhua article
•  AP article
•  Reuters article