There is something special about October, it seems.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/030117/1/36ld3.html

Friday January 17, 3:11 PM
China plans first manned space launch in October: official

China plans to launch its first manned space mission in October, an official at the country's space program told AFP.

"There are plans to launch Shenzhou V in October this year," said a research official at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., which develops the rocket carriers and the spacecraft.

The official, who would only gives his surname, Lee, said Friday an exact date had yet to be decided.

"This depends on a lot of things," he said. "But one thing's for sure, a manned Shenzhou V will be launched this year, around October."

The China Daily on Thursday said 14 former fighter pilots, each with more than 1,000 hours flying experience, had been in training as astronauts "for years".

Two were sent to Russia's cosmonaut school and all spent a week in April training in the recently returned unmanned Shenzhou IV capsule.

Qi Faren, the general designer of the Shenzhou spacecraft, told the paper the manned craft will "fly for at least one day in space".

Up to three astronauts are expected to be onboard.

Late last month Shanghai Aerospace Bureau director Yuan Jie said the success of Shenzhou IV, which returned to earth on January 5 after a 162-hour mission, opened the door for a manned mission later this year.

China has so far launched four unmanned space craft in its quest to become only the third nation to send a human into orbit, after the United States and the former Soviet Union.

Chinese space officials have said they are working towards a permanently manned space station and a possible landing on the moon.