China Selects 18 Reserve Astronauts for Manned Space Program: State Media

China has selected a new group of 18 reserve astronauts for its manned space program as it enters the mission preparation stage, Chinaࢀ™s state media Xinhua said. The 18 reserve astronauts, including a female, consist of 7 spacecraft pilots, 7 space flight engineers and 4 payload experts. They were selected from 2,500 candidates, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Chinese astronauts will have multiple responsibilities in the construction of the space station. They will conduct extravehicular tasks and work with mechanical arms to complete the installation, testing, adjustment and upgrading of payloads in orbit. The mission preparation stage…