The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center held a ceremony on Thurday afternoon for the three taikonauts due to board the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft before the start of the mission.

The ceremony was held at the taikonauts' apartment compound, called Wentiange, or "Ask-the-Sky Pavillion," at the launch center.

The Shenzhou-7 spacecraft is set to blast off between 9:07 PM and 10:27 PM on Thursday on a Long March II-F rocket.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2008)