JIUQUAN, Gansu, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The crew of China's Shenzhou-7 space mission is scheduled to meet the press at 17:30 on Thursday.

    In addition, the headquarters of China's third manned space mission will hold another press conference at 14:30 Thursday.

    The crew, who will conduct the first Chinese space walk, is waiting for a launch window at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu Province.

    Depending on weather, the launch is scheduled between Sept. 25 and 30.

    The Shenzhou-7 spacecraft will send three Chinese astronauts who will make a historical spacewalk.

    Six Chinese astronauts are ready for the mission, three pilots who will finally be aboard and three substitutes.

    However neither the military or the mission's headquarters has officially released their identities, even though many local websites had reported various stories on six favorites.

    According to the headquarters' release, three pilots and three substitutes said they were fully confident to successfully accomplish the mission.

    After three hours of tests and safety examinations in the last rehearsal on Monday, the mission has been given the green light.

    Scientists working for the mission said on Tuesday that the carrier rocket of the spacecraft was ready to be fueled, bringing the launch to the countdown status.

Shenzhou-7 taikonauts in final training for liftoff 

    JIUQUAN, Gansu, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Six taikonauts (astronauts) selected for China's Shenzhou-7 space mission are in final training for the launch sometime from Sept. 25 to 30, says a senior mission official.

    The candidates for the three-man mission rehearse basic procedures every day and study manuals to maintain their skills, Huang Weifen, deputy chief designer of the mission's flight system, said on Tuesday. Full story

China's latest space mission finishes rehearsal

    JIUQUAN, Gansu, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's third manned space mission Shenzhou-7 finished its last rehearsal before blast-off.

    Now the crew, who will conduct the first Chinese space walk, is waiting for a launch window at a remote rocket base.

    Monday's rehearsal involved scientists from all branches of the space project including the carrier rocket and landing venue. Full story 

Ships ready to track Shenzhou VII space mission

    BEIJING, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- All five satellite tracking ships are now in position to support China's first space walk mission.

    The final Yuanwang ship arrived at its destination on Monday, said Jian Shilong, director with the China Maritime Tracking and Control Department.

    The ships will remotely track and support the Shenzhou VII space shuttle which will blast off in late September.  Full story