Chinanews, Changsha, Sept.18 – China's “Shenzhou VII” spaceship carrying three astronauts is expected to be launched in 2008, and the astronauts will be able to walk out of the cabin, said Qi Faren, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and known as China's “Father of Shenzhou”.

 

Qi, 72, chief designer of Shenzhou I to Shenzhou V, gave a speech in Changsha on September 16. He was the main chief technician of China's first Dongfeng Missile and first man-made satellite Dongfanghong 1 (Red East 1). And at the end of last century, he became the chief designer of Shenzhou spaceships.

 

Qi said from now on China would launch more than ten satellites successively. “Shenzhou VII” is scheduled to be launched in 2008 with sufficient technical preparation required now as the astronauts would walk in space.