Don't call them astronauts or cosmonauts. These guys are "taikonauts," from the Chinese word for the final frontier.
First for China: Manned Space Flight
BEIJING (AFP) - China began drumming up nationalistic sentiment with days to go before its maiden manned space flight, as leading officials said it was just the first step to greater achievements.
The state-controlled media floodgates appear to have been opened by China officially acknowledging late Friday that it would join the United States and Russia in sending a man into orbit this week.
Leading newspapers -- from the staid People's Daily to more lively tabloids -- have started carrying detailed reports and full-color photographs of preparations for the history-making event.
The Xinhua news agency quoted Zhang Qingwei, deputy chief commander of China's manned spaceflight program, as detailing the possibilities of space tourism and bases on the moon.
"In the 20 years to come, humans will travel in outer space and space tourism will ultimately become an industry," said Zhang on Monday.
"With the development of manned spaceflight technology, mankind will constantly enhance its capability to utilize space resources and leap forward in exploration of outer space."
In a separate Xinhua report, Yuan Jiajun, commander-in-chief of the spacecraft system of China's manned program, said the frontiers of space were rapidly being pushed back and China wanted to be a part of that.
"Our lives today are closely linked with these space activities. And we are seeing just the beginning of it," he said.
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He said humanity could do much with resources in space, including "creating a physical world unimaginable on earth ... and developing infinite living space and new lifestyles."
The government mouthpiece People's Daily joined the drive to boost the propaganda mileage from the launch in a chest-puffing commentary Monday.
"A manned program can push the development of technology ... manned space technology is a symbol of the state's comprehensive national strength and is a great boost to the country's national prestige," it said.
"It could rejuvenate the nation's spirit and enhance the cohesive force of the nation."
It acknowledged there were military implications for China.
It cited late paramount leader Deng Xiaopeng as saying that without its space and nuclear program "China cannot have the status as a major power in the world".
"A manned space program has great military implications that cannot be ignored," it said.
"Manned spacecraft can carry out missions of reconnaissance and surveillance better and enable the military to deploy, repair and assemble military satellites that could monitor and direct and control military forces on Earth."
The Hong Kong-based pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po meanwhile said President Hu Jintao would fly to the isolated Jiuquan Launch Centre immediately after a key communist party meeting ends in Beijing Tuesday evening.
The paper said he would meet the chosen astronaut or astronauts that night and then preside over a simple ceremony Wednesday morning, meeting the pilot or pilots again.
The Beijing Youth Daily said a list of 14 potential astronauts had been whittled down to three with the decision on who makes the flight made Tuesday after a final series of tests.
Xinhua has said the launch would come sometime between Wednesday and Friday although the Wen Wei Po has been more specific, saying blast off was scheduled for 9 am (0100 GMT) Wednesday.
The craft is expected to orbit the Earth 14 times, suggesting the flight will last 21 hours. The Beijing Youth Daily said it would land near Siziwang, some 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of the Inner Mongolian capital Hohhot.
The Jiuquan meteorological station said fine weather was expected around the launch area over the coming days.
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