"China is now beating gongs and drums as it makes technical adjustments and runs numerous tests in preparation for the launch of its second spaceship," said the semi-official China News Service, citing launch officials.

"The flight is expected to take place around October this year," it added.

The Shenzhou One unmanned space flight successfully orbited the earth 14 times last November 20 and its space capsule returned safely to the grasslands of Inner Mongolia.

The Shenzhou One was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Center in Gansu province on a Chinese Long March 2-F carrier rocket, capable of carrying greater payloads than other Long March-series rockets that China uses to launch satellites.

Unnamed officials with the launch program said astronauts were already training for manned space flights, but cautioned that the former Soviet Union ran seven unmanned flights before sending a man into space, while the United States undertook 21 test flights.

The report quoted rocket expert Wang Yongzhi as saying that China would first attempt to send astronauts into low orbit and eventually planned to conduct space walks and build a space station.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin hopes to use China's manned space program to advance science and technology in China as well as stimulate patriotism and bring greater glory to the Communist Party, analysts say.

The initial test flight of the space craft was held a month after the October 1, 50th anniversary of Chinese communist rule, while Monday's announcement came a day ahead of the 73rd anniversary of the People's Liberation Army, a key player in China's space program.

The goal of China's manned space program is to observe the earth from space, conduct scientific and technological studies and establish technology for transporting man to a space station, the report said.

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DRAGON SPACE
China First Manned Mission Delayed Until 2002
by Wei Long
Beijing - July 10, 2000 - Even before the news of the speculation of a second unmanned launch of the manned capsule this October, dubbed Shenzhou 2, subsides, two Chinese media outlets in Hong Kong report that the first manned flight probably won't happen until 2002 at the earliest.