After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) erupted in China, staff at the manned space program undertook the necessary measures to ensure their work was not affected, Xinhua news agency reported.

The report did not say when the manned space flight is expected to kick off.

However, previous reports have suggested the pioneering trip on board the spacecraft, called Shenzhou V, would take place some time this fall.

China has so far launched four unmanned spaceflights, the last of which, Shenzhou IV, successfully returned to earth in January after 162 hours in orbit seen as the final dress rehearsal before a manned mission.

With a successful manned space flight, China would become only the third country to send a human into orbit following the former Soviet Union and the United States.

SPACE.WIRE