Shenzhou 7 to be launched this year

China is planning to launch Shenzhou 7 manned space mission this year. The announcement was made by the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense.

Potential crew members, including Yang Liwei, will participate the selection process.

Huang Qiang, Secretary-general of Commission of Sci, Tech & Industry, said, "The Shenzhou 7 manned spaceship is the key task in the field of Science and technology for national defense. All relevant sides will make all-out efforts and cooperate closely to guarantee the success of this manned space mission. "

Earlier, the commission said preparation work for Shenzhou 7 is going on smoothly. The launch date has yet to be decided. Potential crew members, including Yang Liwei, will participate the selection process. The Shenzhou 7 mission will include a space walk. Apart from manned mission, China will also launch 15 rockets and 17 satellites.