China Internet news service, An official from China's space program announced today that its second manned spacecraft, Shenzhou VI, will take off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern province of Gansu sometime between October 12 and 15.
“Preparations for the launch are doing well,” he said, but did not disclose the names of the two astronauts who would be aboard.
Shenzhou VI will be sent into an oval orbit with a bank angle of 42.4 degrees and altitude ranging between 200 and 347 kilometers, the official said, before moving into a circular orbit.
After the mission, the spacecraft will return to the main landing field in the central part of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, he said.
The astronauts for the scheduled space mission have been selected after strict training and assessment and have completed comprehensive ground drills, he added.
The Long March rocket propelled China's first manned spacecraft, Shenzhou V, into orbit two years ago carrying astronaut Yang Liwei, who became the first Chinese in space.
Wang Yongzhi, chief designer of the manned spaceflight 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 in microgravity conditions.
Liu Yu, commander in chief of the rocket system, said the rocket for Shenzhou VI has many improvements in reliability and safety compared with the one used for Shenzhou V.
Yang Liwei told Xinhua News Agency at the launch center that after training for the past two years, the astronauts on Shenzhou VI are capable of fulfilling their tasks.
He said that as the spacecraft has been improved, the astronauts now enjoy “a better and more comfortable” working environment.
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