Latest Shenzhou programme Stories

BEIJING -- China's second manned spacecraft blasted off from a remote northwestern launch site on Wednesday, two years after the country joined an elite club of space powers.Astronauts Fei Junlong, 40, and Nie Haisheng, 41, both colonels in the People's Liberation Army, were handpicked from 14 fighter pilots and had been in the running for China's first manned space launch in 2003."There is nothing to worry about," state television quoted the pair as saying before Shenzhou VI lifted...

By Ben BlanchardBEIJING (Reuters) - China's second manned spacecraft blasted off from a remote northwestern launch site on Wednesday, just two years after the country joined an elite club of space powers.Astronauts Fei Junlong, 40, and Nie Haisheng, 41, were handpicked from 14 fighter pilots and had been in the running for China's first manned space launch in 2003. Their mission is due to last five days."There is nothing to worry about," state television quoted the two as saying...

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's second manned spacecraft blasted off from a remote northwestern launch site on Wednesday, just two years after the country joined an elite club of space powers. Astronauts Fei Julong and Nie Haisheng were handpicked from 14 fighter pilots and had been in the running for China's first manned space launch in 2003. Their mission is due to last five days. "There is nothing to worry about," state television quoted the two as saying before the launch as a light...

By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - China sends its second manned mission into orbit from a remote launch site in the dusty northwest on Wednesday, just two years after joining an elite club of space powers. Astronauts Fei Julong and Nie Haisheng had entered the capsule of the Shenzhou VI after a meeting at the Jiuquan launch center with Premier Wen Jiabao, who wished their mission success. Lift-off for the spacecraft was expected between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Beijing time (0000-0100...

JIAYUGUAN, China (AP) -- Just two years after joining the exclusive club of spacefaring nations, China prepared Wednesday for its second manned flight from a launch pad in the Gobi Desert.A rocket carrying the Shenzhou 6 capsule and two astronauts was to blast off sometime Wednesday from the remote base in China's northwest, the official Xinhua News Agency said. In a break with the space agency's typical secrecy, Xinhua said a live broadcast of the entire flight would be provided to foreign...

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is counting down to a manned space launch expected on Wednesday, joining an exclusive club of just three countries to put a man into space twice. The Shenzhou VI would blast off in northwest China "at a proper time" between October 12 and 15, China's official Xinhua news agency said, citing an official with China's space program. But a source told Reuters that the Shenzhou VI would blast off on Wednesday, a day after the Communist Party finishes a major...

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has scheduled the launch of its second manned spacecraft this week, aiming to join the exclusive club of just three countries to put a man into space twice. The official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday the Shenzhou VI would set off from a launch center in northwest China "at a proper time" between October 12 and 15, citing an official with China's manned space program. The spacecraft, with two astronauts aboard, would blast off from the Jiuquan Satellite...

BEIJING -- China plans to launch two astronauts into orbit Wednesday for a mission lasting several days that is meant to seal its status as an emerging space power. The mission, which reportedly could last up to five days, is more ambitious and riskier than China's first manned space flight two years ago, which lasted just 21 1/2 hours.Foreign reporters are barred from the remote base in the Gobi Desert in China's northwest. A handful of Chinese journalists, including some from Hong Kong, are...

SHANGHAI, China -- China's second manned space mission - and its first to carry two astronauts - is due to launch on Oct. 13, weather permitting, and return five days later, a state media report said.The launch of Shenzhou VI is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Base, in the Gobi desert in northern China, with the mission lasting 119 hours if all goes according to plan, the state-run China News Service reported on Sunday.It said midday was chosen as the launch time to...

BEIJING (AP) - China is narrowing down the list of candidates for its second manned space flight and is testing rockets for the liftoff scheduled to occur within weeks, state media said Wednesday. Plans call for the capsule, called Shenzhou 6, to carry two astronauts - or "taikonauts" - on a five- or six-day flight. Previous reports said 14 former fighter pilots were training for the mission. "Blastoff of the Shenzhou 6 will be around September or October," said Zhang...