Deep in the vast and mostly unpopulated Gobi Desert, China's spacecraft launch base is quietly awaiting the country's first-ever manned space flight.

A "Long March" II F carrier rocket stands at the launch pad in the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province, northwest China.

China is counting down to its first manned space flight, scheduled for sometime between Oct. 15 and Oct. 17.

Since the spring of 1958, Jiuquan, a remote place near an ancient Great Wall ruin, has grown into China's largest satellite launch center.

China's first satellite blasted off here and so did the first four unmanned spacecraft.

A river named Ruoshui runs in front of the town, making it an oasis. Red willows and elms stand along both sides of the streets while multi-colored bushes are dotted here and there.

To store water, a man-made reservoir covering 10 square kilometers was built in the town.

Street lamps at the main avenue, Chang'an Street, each looking like a spaceship atop a rocket, are part of the space flight features that could be found in a great number of places in the town, which also include sculptures, hotels and other buildings.

In small restaurants in the town, young space technicians and scientists are often seen when there are projects underway in the launch base.

Northeast of the launch base lie the graves of more than 500 people who contributed to the country's space cause, including the late founder of China's space program, Marshal Nie Rongzhen.

(Xinhua News Agency October 11, 2003)