China launches first spacewalk

China is setting the launch date for her first spacewalk flight in 2008.

The shuttle Shenzhou VII is set to launch in 2008, but with no specific date. However, promise has been made that the safety of the astronauts will be placed first. Scientists deny the claim that the launch will coincide with the 2008 Olympics.

China's space program has seen the launch of several unmanned flights as well as the first manned flight in 2003. China is one of three nations to develop manned spaceflight independently, after USA and Russia. The three astronauts aboard Shenzhou VII are scheduled to orbit Earth for up to 5 days and perform extra-vehicle (EV) activities. This will be the third manned spaceflight and another notch on the belt for the Chinese space program.