China aims to walk in space

CHINA hopes to conduct a space walk in 2007 and might recruit women into its next group of astronaut candidates, a senior space programme official said yesterday following the safe completion of the nation’s second manned mission.

The Shenzhou 6 flight ended the first stage of China’s plan, which focused on development of space vehicles, said director of the China Space Engineering Office Tang Xianming.

The next stage focuses on developing ways for astronauts to walk in space and the ability to rendezvous and dock with other spacecraft, he said.