A Shenzhou spacecraft will commute between the earth and outer space in the wake of China's first manned space flight, the chief designer of the spacecraft system told Xinhua Thursday.

"The spacecraft will serve as an efficient transport from the earth to the space lab or even to the space station we are expected to build," said Prof. Qi Faren, who is also a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. "It could be used to dock with orbiters or the space lab and then with the space station."

Under China's long-term plans for development of space technology, Chinese experts are expected to build a space lab and a space station now that China's first manned space flight mission, carried out by Shenzhou V, proved a brilliant success.

"I hope ordinary Chinese could one day have a chance to go in for space travels by our own space vehicle," Qi said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2003)