BEIJING, Mar.09 (China Military News cited from Xinhua) -- China plans to launch 15 to 16 satellites this year, Zhang Jianqi, deputy chief commander of the manned space project, said here Monday.

"Though the global financial crisis is taking toll on world economy, it has no impact on China's space programs," Zhang, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, told media.

China is at present "batch-producing" the three spacecraft, Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10, according to Zhang.

"This is the first time for the country to conduct researches and production on three spacecraft at the same time," he said.

China plans to launch Tiangong-1, an unmanned space module, into orbit by the end of 2010, he said.

The country plans to launch the Shenzhou-8 and Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2011, a former chief designer of the manned-space project said earlier.

Zhang said the country is selecting a new batch of taikonauts, which may include the country's first female taikonaut.

China has sent an average of eight satellites into space annually during the first two years of its 11th five-year-plan (2006-2010), and the number was 1.5 before its ninth five-year-plan (1996-2000), figures from the China Academy of space Technology showed.

China plans to launch Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2011 

China plans to launch the Shenzhou-8 and Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2011, a former chief designer of China's manned-space project said here Saturday.

Wang Yongzhi, who is also a member the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks on the sidelines of the annual session the top political advisory body.

China plans to launch an unmanned space module into orbit as early as the end of 2010, which is expected to dock with the unmanned Shenzhou-8 in 2011. It would be the country's first space docking.

If the space module and spacecraft dock successfully, the country will launch in the same year the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft with taikonauts aboard, Wang said.

Liang Xiaohong, vice president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, told Xinhua Saturday the module and two spacecraft will be carried by Long March 2F rockets and launched between the fourth quarter of 2010 and October, 2011.

Shenzhou-9 will also dock with the module, Liang said.

"The two dockings, one unmanned and one manned, will lay a solid foundation for the setup of a space station," Liang said.

Taikonauts for Shenzhou-9 will be chosen from the first 14 taikonauts of the country, which include six taikonauts who had entered space before, Wang said.

China will soon start selecting a new batch of taikonauts, which may include the country's first female taikonaut. However, they need a long time of training and will not catch up with the Shenzhou-9 mission, he added.

China sent its first astronaut Yang Liwei into space in 2003 riding self-developed spacecraft Shenzhou-5. It was followed by a two-man mission that carried Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng in 2005.

The trio of Shenzhou-7 taikonauts Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng orbited the earth for three days last year.

Zhai became the first Chinese to "set foot" on outer space on Sept. 27, 2008. His spacewalk lasted about 20 minutes and was believed to help pave the way for the country's next space mission-- the launch of a space lab or space station.

 
Shenzhou-8 spacecraft to carry bio sample for European space Agency  

 
China has agreed to carry a bio sample for the European space Agency on the country's Shenzhou-8 spacecraft, Zhang Jianqi, deputy chief commander of the manned space project, said here Sunday.

"China is actively gearing up international cooperation in the field of manned space," Zhang told reporters on the sidelines of China's parliament annual session, citing the agreement with Europe as an example.

The country plans to launch the Shenzhou-8 and Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2011, a former chief designer of the manned-space project said a day earlier.

Zhang stressed China welcomes and will continue cooperation with other countries in exploring the space, adding the country's space endeavors are always open to the outside.

"China will definitely work with the International space Station, once the country sets up its own space station," said Zhang, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature.

He said it's necessary for astronauts to be able to offer mutual aid in case of emergency during their relatively long stay in the space.

"The Unites States and other countries have agreed to this and said they are willing to start such cooperation," he added.

Zhang said Thursday the country is selecting taikonauts for the country's planned first space station.