The candidates had earlier undergone medical and psychological tests as well as checks on family background and other 'comprehensive assessments'. The selection process started in May.

China has sent six astronauts into space since 2003. It sent its first astronaut Yang Liwei on board the indigenously built spacecraft Shenzhou-5. Two more Chinese astronauts were sent into space in 2005.

In September last year, three other astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng orbited the earth for three days on board the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft.

Zhai became the first Chinese to walk in outer space Sep 27, 2008. His space walk lasted about 20 minutes, which paved the way for the country's next space missions - space docking in 2011 and a manned space station in 2020.