China plans manned space flight in 5 years

BEIJING, China (Reuters) -- China aims to put an astronaut into space in the next five years, state media said Wednesday, setting an official timetable for the first time.

State radio and the Xinhua news agency said several unmanned spacecraft would be launched starting next year before the manned flight. They gave no further details.

The reports also said China would launch more than 30 satellites between 2001 and 2005.

Chinese leaders are eager for the pride and prestige that would come if China joined the United States and former Soviet Union as the only countries to put a person into space.

A government policy "white paper" on space last month said only that China would establish a manned space flight program over the next 20 years.

That document also said China planned to become a leading player in space exploration and commerce by building mainly on its home-grown rocket and satellite program.

A top aerospace official said last month that China would soon put a person into space, perhaps "at the beginning of the 21st century."

"It will not be long before Chinese astronauts can ride locally made spaceships into space," said Vice President of China Aerospace Science Technology Corp, Hu Hongfu.

In November last year, China successfully launched an unmanned spaceship, Shenzhou.

State radio said China had so far launched 47 domestically-made satellites, developed the "Long March" series of rockets and established three launch sites.

China, which has launched satellites for U.S. and Brazilian operators, is vying for a bigger slice of the lucrative market for launching commercial satellites.

Its launch industry was given a major boost last month when the United States waived sanctions against China for past missile technology transfers to Iran and Pakistan. That move opened the way for the United States to resume processing licences for commercial space cooperation with Chinese firms.

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