China in space

CHINA gave a rare glimpse yesterday of astronauts preparing for its second manned space mission, with state television showing trainees in simulated zero gravity doing somersaults and holding up the national flag.

“The training has been going very smoothly,” said Col Yang Liwei, who made history on October 15, 2003, as China’s first man in space.

China says its next flight will send two astronauts into orbit in late 2005, two years after Col Yang’s flight.