BEIJING, Sept. 12-- China plans to launch its second manned space mission after the National Day holiday next month, AFP cited Beijing News as reporting.

The spacecraft Shenzhou VI will be launched, after the October 1-7 holiday, from the Jiuquan Space Launch Center in northwest China's Gansu province, using a Long March 2F rocket, the report said.

Different from the Shenzhou V, which was a solo flight that lasted 21 hours in October 2003, Shenzhou VI will carry two astronauts and stay in space for 119 hours, or five days.

Technical officials have arrived at the Jiuquan launching base, the report said.Enditem