To ensure the safety of the Shenzhou 7 astronauts, over 200 emergency plans have been made to deal with every conceivable problem during the spacewalk.

As the astronaut float out of the cabin more than 340 kilometers above earth later on Saturday, his movements will be transmitted back to the control center in real time.

Tong Bin, Vice Engineer General Beijing Aerospace Control Center, said, "Data reception and processing are being carried out smoothly. Shenzhou 7 is on the right track and in good condition."

From Namibia to Qingdao, across the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the Pacific, staff members for China's space program are getting ready for what may well be the longest nonstop tracking in the history of spacecraft control.

(CCTV September 27, 2008)