Chinese Manned Space Launch

China's Shenzhou 7 spacecraft carrying a 3-man crew lifted off yesterday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and is now in Earth orbit.

During the upcoming three-day mission, Chinese astronauts, called Taikonauts, will launch a small satellite and conduct their country's first space walk.

As they orbit Earth, Shenzhou 7 and the body of the rocket that launched it will be visible to the naked eye from many parts of the globe. Check the Satellite Tracker for viewing times: http://spaceweather.com/flybys .

(Note: Frequent checks are recommended; predictions may change as the orbit is adjusted and estimates of orbital elements improve.)

Sighting reports and updates will be posted on http://spaceweather.com