CHINA launched its first manned space flight, the Shenzhou V, on October 15 and became the third country after the former Soviet Union and the United States to put a man in orbit.

The following is a chronology of key events in China's space programme.

?1958 - China builds its first rocket launch base.

?1959 - China launches its first rocket.

?1964 - China launches its first rocket with a biological payload - white rats.

?1968 - China starts to train astronauts and conduct medical research on manned spaceflight.

?1970 - China launches its first satellite, Dongfanghong I (The East is Red), aboard a Long March rocket.

?1975 - China launches its first recoverable satellite.

?1985 - China declares it will apply Long March rockets to international commercial launches.

?1992 - China starts (non-medical) manned spaceflight research.

?1999 - China launches first unmanned spacecraft "Shenzhou", or "Divine Vessel", in the northwestern province of Gansu and joins the world's most exclusive space club. It touches down safely in the northern region of Inner Mongolia after 21 hours in space and orbiting Earth 14 times.

?2001 - China launches Shenzhou II in Gansu. Carrying a monkey, a dog, a rabbit and snails, it returns safely to Earth in Inner Mongolia seven days later after 108 orbits.

?March 2002 - Shenzhou III takes off carrying dummy astronauts and life simulation and monitoring devices. It touches down successfully in Inner Mongolia after orbiting Earth 108 times.

?December 2002 - China's fourth unmanned spacecraft blasts off from Gansu. After circling the planet 108 times, Shenzhou IV lands safely in Inner Mongolia on January 5, 2003. It successfully performs several hundred operations in space, including unfolding solar panels. The space capsule tests life support systems.

?October 15, 2003 - China's first manned spaceship, Shenzhou V, blasts off from the Gobi desert and orbits Earth 14 times.

In the future - China will establish a space station and later send a robot probe to the moon. (Star-Agencies)