China announces spacewalk plans

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Chinese officials have announced plans for their first space walk to take place later this month.

The manned spacecraft Shenzhou-7 will lift off sometime between Sept. 25 and Sept. 30 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu Province, the Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Sunday.

"All the major systems involved in the launching are now in the final preparation," a spokesman said Saturday.

"The main tests for the spacecraft, the Long-March II-F rocket, suits for the spacewalk and a satellite accompanying the fly have also been finished," he added.

Propellant would be injected into the rocket Sunday, with the ground control system already prepared, including landing and launch sites and communication systems, Xinhua said.