China moves closer to placing man in space

JIUQUAN SATELLITE LAUNCHING CENTER, China, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- China launched the fourth in a series of experimental spacecraft early Sunday, part of an extended effort to put a Chinese astronaut or "taikonaut" into space.

The successful night launch of the Shenzhou IV took place at the Jiuquan Satellite Launching Center in China's Gansu Province according to the main Communist Party newspaper, People's Daily. The spacecraft was used by Chinese astronauts for training prior to its launch.

The program is part of a 10-year plan, announced in 2001, to put a taikonaut into space then conduct in-orbit experiments including space walks. The next steps include placing a laboratory into orbit and, eventually, the construction and launch of a permanent space station.

The program uses enhanced human mannequins rather than monkeys or other animals to test its systems. Other systems that have been tested include an escape system for the astronauts.

The first of the Shenzhou launches took place in November 1999. The spacecraft was retrieved after a brief one-day flight. Shenzhou III and IV were launched in January 2001 and March 2002 respectively. Historically the spacecraft have been launched atop a Long March rocket.