"The selection and training of women astronauts has already entered into our plan which we are gradually developing," Chen Shanguang, director of China's astronaut training, told the Beijing News.

"A period of some five to six years are needed to train an astronaut."

This could mean that a Chinese woman could be launched into space on the Shenzhou IX space flight, provided that the nation's manned space program continues to develop in accordance with current scheduling, the paper said.

China has yet to publicize the Shenzhou series launch schedule, although state press has said that a Shenzhou VII is not likely for at least 12 months.

Shenzhou V, China's first-ever manned space flight, took off nearly two years to the day before the successful launch of Shenzhou VI on Wednesday with two astronauts on board.

Wednesday's flight will orbit the earth for five days with astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng carrying out a series of experiments from the space vehicle's orbital module.

This differs significantly from the 21-hour initial launch of Shenzhou V astronaut Yang Liwei, who never left his seat in the return capsule during his historic flight.

"Compared to male astronauts, women are more patient, their psychological qualities more stable and they have a better ability to withstand isolation," Chen was quoted as saying.

"After women go into space, our manned space program will be able to research the differences that a man-made enclosed space environment has on men and women."

All rights reserved. copyright 2018 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.