When China launches its Shenzhou VI spaceship, it will most
likely carry two astronauts and stay in space for five to seven
days, according to Wang Yongzhi, the chief designer of the
country's manned spacecraft.
In an interview with local media, Wang spoke highly of the team
of researchers based in Shanghai, who designed Shenzhou V's main
engine.
Asked whether Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut who blasted
into space a month ago from Jiuquan, Gansu Province, will be picked
again for the second mission, Wang said the final decision will be
made only 16 hours before the launch, so "it is still too early to
say."
Yang, on his first trip to Shanghai, said he was touched by the
enthusiasm of the local people. He said he was also impressed by
the city's cosmopolitan and high-tech outlook.
Reminded by local journalists of his non-stop schedule since he
returned to earth - touring around the country and giving speeches
- Yang said that it was part of his responsibility to spread the
message of encouragement to his compatriots.
Meanwhile, lured by the visiting space program team, some
130,000 people have thronged the round-the-clock, two-day space
exhibition at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum since the
free show opened on Tuesday.
Among them, more than 70,000 visited between 6 pm and 6 am
despite the biting cold, curious to see "what the country's first
manned spaceship looked like."
"It's incredible!" Li Jun, an exhibition official, told Shanghai
Daily yesterday. "We never expected such a huge number of visitors,
especially since they queued up in these freezing conditions."
Chen Dafu, 58, who traveled all the way from suburban Qingpu
District, said: "It's been worth it. The space exhibition was an
eye-opener for me. As a Chinese, I was so happy when Yang returned
to Earth safely."
Also Wednesday, Yang and his peers gave emotional speeches at
the Shanghai Exhibition Center to more than 2,000 senior government
officials and residents from various fields.
They also took a cruise along the Huangpu River last night.
(eastday.com November 13, 2003)
