A month-long countdown to the launch of China's first astronaut began on Monday, according to reports. Unnamed space program officials told the Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po that the historic flight would take place shortly after the week-long celebrations that mark the anniversary of communist rule. These begin on 1 October. The exact date will not be decided until about a week before the launch, the officials said. They also disclosed that the Shenzhou spacecraft will carry a single Chinese astronaut into space. The chosen "taikonaut" will be selected from a group of three candidates shortly before launch. China has so far launched four uncrewed Shenzhou spacecraft in preparation for its first crewed mission. Both Shenzhou V and the Long March 2F rocket that will carry it into space have been installed at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu, northwest China. If successful, the mission would make China only the third nation to launch humans into space, after Russia and the United States. The first taikonaut in space will become a national hero. The Chinese government believes the feat will be a source of great international prestige and also bring technological and industrial benefits. Following the Columbia space shuttle disaster in February, in which all seven crew were lost, Chinese officials have stressed that every possible safety measure will be taken for the flight.
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