The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) gave the country's first official confirmation on Sunday: Two astronauts will be aboard the Shenzhou VI when it blasts off next year, and will spend five days in orbit.

"The spacecraft will make new breakthroughs in China's manned space flight technology," said CASC spokesperson Zuo Saichun, speaking ahead of the opening of the Fifth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province.

The Shenzhou V, the country's first manned space flight, carried a single astronaut for just over 21 hours last year.

The new capsule is designed to carry as many as three people and stay in orbit for up to a week. "For the first time, astronauts will enter and live in the orbital module of the spacecraft to do scientific experiments," said a statement from the CASC, the primary manufacturer of the spacecraft and its launch vehicle.

The Shenzhou comprises three modules for propulsion, orbit and reentry.

The CASC provided no details on the types of experiments to be conducted.

Designers have improved the capsule's configuration in the Shenzhou VI to reduce its weight and have upgraded onboard equipment. Energy supply, reliability and safety are focuses of their work.

All the bugs have already been worked out of the environmental control and life support systems, the CASC reported.

Shenzhou VI will be sent into space atop a Long March 2F rocket.

(China Daily November 1, 2004)