The Hong Kong-based newspaper cites information from unnamed sources that officials have essentially determined the liftoff date of Shenzhou-5 (SZ-5, Shenzhou means "Divine Vessel" or "Magic Vessel"), which is "expected to be launched immediately after the closing of the Third Plenum of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)." The CPC meeting will occur in Beijing from Oct. 11 to 14.

This puts the first launch opportunity of the historic mission on Oct. 15.

A week ago (Sept. 24) Wen Wei Po quoted unidentified sources as saying that the widely reported launch date of Oct. 10 was "a speculation [and] incorrect", and the daytime liftoff would happen "within a week after Oct. 10."

Coupled with the latest news, the SZ-5 blastoff could happen between Oct. 15 and 17.

The sources also said that the mission duration of SZ-5 would be a single day, "basically the same as the duration of the spaceflight operation of SZ-1."

"SZ-5 would operate for one day, with the purpose of achieving the task to launch a yuhangyuan ("astronaut") into space," explained the sources.

The inaugural flight of Shenzhou lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC) in the northwestern Gansu Province on Oct. 20, 1999 at 6:30 a.m. Beijing Time (2230 UTC on Oct. 19). SZ-1 successfully landed at the designated site in the middle of Inner Mongolia on the following day at 3:41 a.m. Beijing Time (1941 UTC on Oct. 20), after orbiting the Earth fourteen times in 21 hours.

But Hong Kong Commercial Daily, another pro-Beijing newspaper here, says today that its own sources indicate that the preferred launch date of SZ-5 is still Oct. 10.

These sources said that as long as inclement weather such as thunderstorms or rainstorms would not happen, the launch would go ahead as planned.

The newspaper says that according to China Meteorological Administration (CMA), the seasonal weather at JSLC is sunny in the first half of October, with daytime temperature between 13 and 15 degrees Celsius. This contrasts sharply with the frigid winter weather under which all previous four unmanned Shenzhou test missions took place.

CMA said that more reliable long-range weather information for the 10th would be available as of Oct. 3.

CMA is responsible for the long-range weather forecast for the SZ-5 launch while the regional meteorological office in Gansu Province looks after the short- and medium-range forecast.

Sources told Hong Kong Commercial Daily that the launch team has planned in detail of launching SZ-5 in cloudy weather or light rain.

The newspaper also writes that only two guest passes will be allocated to the Gansu Province to view the SZ-5 launch. This falls far short of the number of passes issued in each of the past four Shenzhou launches.

The General Armament Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which has the sole responsibility for the launch of SZ-5, has imposed very strict rules on who would be invited to witness the historic launch.

Each guest would have to pass background security check of PLA and other higher levels of the State before an invitation is issued. Once arriving at JSLC, guests would not be able to wander without an escort except at the guest residence.

Yuhangyuan Corps Arrived At Launch Center
Meanwhile Wen Wei Po reported on Monday (Sept. 29) that all 14 yuhangyuans arrived at JSLC for final technical and physical training before the launch. The group included the two trainers who graduated from cosmonaut training at Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia in Dec. 1997.

Space officials will also watch for the psychological quality of the yuhangyuans.

This is not the first time that the yuhangyuan corps receives training at JSLC. Prior to the launch of SZ-4 late last year, these yuhangyuans had spent a week in familiarization training with the Shenzhou vehicle.

In the weeklong training last year, the training team had taught the yuhangyuans the full operation of the spacecraft, such as various switches on the control panel and equipment within the capsule.

Other aspects of the training included troubleshooting of simulated problems, donning a spacesuit to ingress and egress Shenzhou, and opening and closing of the spacecraft hatch.

JSLC personnel state that all the yuhangyuans are in high spirits and very good conditions, and training is going smoothly according to plan.

Space officials will soon select three yuhangyuans out of this group for the final round of competition. On launch day, one or two members of this final group will capture a precious spot on Shenzhou.

When this yuhangyuan enters the spacecraft in two weeks, it won't be another rehearsal. This time it will be for real.

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