A project to send the nation's first astronaut into space will launch next month.

In a meeting of related ministers Thursday, the government finalized a detailed plan that includes a four-step screening of candidates by year's end.

The selected astronaut will receive training next year from next January through March 2008 and will join a month later the crew of the Russian manned spacecraft Soyuz.

He or she will then move to the International Space Station via Soyuz to conduct a number of tasks, while residing in the station's Russian module.