Last night, China successfully completed the launch of its Shenzhou 7 spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the desert of northwest China's Gansu province. It is the country’s third manned spaceflight and it will include its first ever extra-vehicular activity.

The launch was broadcasted live on state television, as the country is looking to promote its space program and also show the growing confidence in such manned space activities. People everywhere were very excited to witness the event, being extremely proud of the country’s achievements. President Hu Jintao also made an appearance, addressing the crew and wishing them nothing but success. "You will definitely accomplish this glorious and sacred mission. The motherland and the people are looking forward to your triumphant return," Hu told the three, as quoted by the Associated Press.

The mission is scheduled to last for about three days and at this point it is not certain which one of the three people onboard will have the honor of conducting the spacewalk. The preparations for the 40 minute outside visit were costly and intense, as the designated astronaut will be wearing a $15 million pressurized spacesuit. Out of the fliers, colonel Zhai Zhigang, Lui Boming and Jing Haipeng the first is the most likely to be given the task.

The first tests conducted early this morning showed that the three are in good physical condition, with their body temperature and blood pressure within normal conditions. Later today they are expected to put together and test the spacesuit in order to make sure that everything will be set for the spacewalk which should happen Saturday afternoon.

Still, China Manned Space Engineering Office explained that the schedule could be changed and the astronauts could carry on with the extra-vehicular activity today, depending on several factors such as the degree of adaptation to weightlessness and other similar physical demands of the environment.

The country’s last manned mission took place in 2005, two years after its first manned launch. The efforts for improving the Chinese space program have intensified in the past few years and there are many plans for the future. Zhang Bainan, the chief designer of the spacecraft system of China's manned space program, told Xinhua that China will soon begin the mass production of its Shenzhou (Divine Vessel) spacecraft starting from Shenzhou 8, which will be used as a shuttle for transports between China’s space station and the headquarters, but also for astronauts and cargo for other countries.

The main difference between Shenzhou 7 and Shenzhou 8 will consist in a comfier design for the interior, leaving everything else pretty much the same. Also, "The mass production would also allow intensive launch in a short period of time," said Mr. Bainan.

If everything goes well, this will provide a significant confidence boost for the scientists involved and also promote the space program around the world, not to mention sparking the interest of young people across the country looking to make a career for themselves within the program.

Update: Astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou VII spacecraft assembled a spacesuit Friday for tests in preparation for the country's first spacewalk. Two of the three astronauts unpacked the Chinese-made suit inside the orbital module of the spacecraft as the third astronaut waited in the re-entry module.

Zhai is to wear the 120-kilogram, Chinese-made protective suit, which cost 4 million dollars.

The other two crew members are Liu Boming, who is to assist Zhai with exiting and re-entering the spacecraft, and Jing Haiping.

Officials said Liu is to wear a Russian extra-vehicular activity (EVA) suit while he assists Zhai on the spacewalk from inside the orbital module, which will be sealed off from the re-entry capsule while it is depressurized.

Tests on the two EVA suits were scheduled to finish at 1 am Saturday by which time Shenzhou VI should have completed 19 orbits of the Earth, Wang Zhaoyao, a deputy director of the Chinese space programme, was quoted as saying.

Shenzhou VII is the next stage of China's plan to build an integrated ground-space network for space exploration and manned space research, including a permanent space laboratory by 2020.

Update 2: Preparations for China's first spacewalk, scheduled for Saturday, went without a hitch, said Chinese mission control, which confirmed the commander of the mission would get the honour of being the first Chinese to step out into space.

Last-minute health checks showed all three astronauts to be in good condition and tests on the spacesuits showed they were functioning well, mission control said.

The crew had spent more than 11 hours Friday unpacking and assembling the suits and then underwent 100 minutes of training to get used to the get-ups.