BEIJING, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - China's first man in space Yang Liwei carried the Olympic torch on the first leg of its relay in Beijing on Wednesday, and told Games organisers he was ready to jet into the stratosphere again.

Yang was the first to carry the flame as the torch began its final journey through the capital two days before the Games starts.

He said afterwards he would be happy to be part of China's third manned space mission, which is due to launch in October.

'I am ready to go at any time,' Yang said, according to a report on the website of the Beijing Olympic organising committee.

China successfully launched Yang into orbit in 2003, making it the third country after the former Soviet Union and the United States to put a man in space.

China's third manned flight, the Shenzhou VII, with a crew of three 'taikonauts' or astronauts, has been set for October, previous reports have said.

A shortlist of six 'taikonauts' has already been selected for the flight and will be whittled down to a crew of three before the October launch. The names have not been confirmed, but reports have said Yang is a candidate.

Yang's announcement came as state media reported the mission rocket had arrived at the launch site in the nation's remote northwest.

The Long March II-F rocket has reached the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu province, the China Daily said Wednesday.

Engineers have made 34 technical improvements to the rocket, making it more stable, reliable and comfortable, according to the paper.

The mission is expected to feature a spacewalk for the first time ever, according to previous reports.