China begins selecting new group of 18 astronauts for space station missions

China has launched a process to select 18 new astronauts for missions to the Chinese Space Station, including men and women from air force, science and engineering backgrounds. "The selection consists of three periods, and we will select not only males but also female candidates for the third batch of astronauts," Yang Liwei, deputy head of the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), said in Beijing on April 23. The selected candidates will be trained for missions to the Chinese Space Station (CSS), a project which brings new demands for spaceflight and expertise. More

(Source: GBTIMES - Apr 24)