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cal secrecy, the launch was shown live on Chinese state television. The mission, reportedly due to last up to five days, is a key prestige project for China39。s munist leaders, who have justified the expense of a manned space program by saying that it will drive economic development. It will be more plicated than the first flight in 2003, which carried one astronaut and lasted just 21 1/2 hours. Minutes after liftoff, mission control announced that the first stage booster had successfully separated from the rocket and that the flight had entered its preset orbit. The official Xinhua News Agency said the two astronauts, or taikonauts, will take off their 22pound spacesuits to travel back and forth between the two halves of their vessel a reentry capsule and an orbiter that will stay aloft after they land. Earlier in the day, Xinhua announced the identities of the two taikonauts Fei Junlong, 40, and Nie Haishen, 41. Previous reports said 14 former fighter pilots were training for the mission. Images of Fei and Jun in their cockpit as the craft roared toward orbit were broadcast live to hundreds of millions of Chinese television viewers. None of the 2003 space flight was shown live by Chinese television. Feeling pretty good, Fei said in the first broadcast ment from the