[1] However, shortly after these plans were made, several leading scientists attached to the project were denounced during the Cultural Revolution, bringing progress to a standstill.
Thus, Chairman Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai decided on July 14, 1967, to start China's own crewed space program.
The Central Military Commission issued the order of starting the selection of astronauts among the People's Liberation Army Air Force pilots.
Then a second phase of screening based on flying techniques, psychological, physiological and general medical examination criteria left only 88 candidates remaining.
[1] Nineteen astronauts were chosen when the screening process ended on March 15, 1971, including Lu Xiangxiao, Wang Zhiyue, Dong Xiaohai and Fang Guojun.
[1] The actual Shuguang vehicle would have closely resembled the Gemini spacecraft, but would have been lighter and smaller to allow it to be launched by the CZ-2A, which had a maximum payload of 3200 kilograms.
[1] Nonetheless, after eight years of development, a fleet of Yuanwang-class space tracking ships for recovery of re-entry vehicles at sea was built.