China's first female astronaut headed to space 'within days'

One of two women pilots shortlisted would be China's first female astronaut to be sent into space on board the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft to be launched within days, reported local media.

They are Liu Yang from central China's Henan province and Wang Yaping from eastern Shandong, both 34 and married with children, reported the Global Times.

The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft and its carrier rocket, the Long March-2F, were transferred to the launch pad in Jiuquan city of north-western Gansu province on Saturday, said the newspaper.

The launch is expected to be around the middle of this month.

A team of three astronauts – one of whom is female – will be sent on China's first manned space- docking mission. They will moor the Shenzhou-9 to the Tiangong-1 space lab module, which was blasted into orbit last September.

The success of the mission will move China one step closer to building a space station around 2020, said the Global Times.

The Shenzhou-9 is expected to stay in space for up to 20 days, during which the astronauts will conduct experiments inside the Tiangong-1.

According to the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Daily, Wang and Liu beat 13 other candidates in the tough penultimate selection and have moved to Jiuquan for the last training stage with three male astronauts.

“Space mission is more difficult for female astronauts because of biological reasons,” said Pang Zhihao, managing editor of the Space International magazine published by the China Academy of Space Technology.

“But they also have the advantages of being more sensitive and better at communication, which could help to minimize mistakes,” said Pang.