China prepares to send its first Chinese woman into space

The Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft, Long March-2F rocket, and escape tower wait to be transferred to the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu. – Reuters

BEIJING: Either Wang Yaping or Liu Yang — both advanced fighter pilots — is set to become a heavenly heroine to a billion Chinese when one of them becomes the country’s first female “taikonaut”.

Wang or Liu is expected to earn a seat in the Shenzhou IX spacecraft, to be placed in orbit by a Long March

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