China will launch three taikonauts aboard the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft next year. Two taikonauts flew on Shenzhou 6 last month. However, like the Russian Soyuz TMA, the Shenzhou vehicle can carry three crew. After Shenzhou 7, Shenzhous 8 and 9 will be launched unmanned within months of each other and will dock, forming a space station. Its crew will arrive aboard Shenzhou 10 in 2007.
Source: Flight International