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Mission successful, Chinese astronaut returns
Beijing, Oct 16: China today declared that its maiden space mission was a `complete success` with its first astronaut on board the Shenzhou V spacecraft returning safely to Earth, after completing a series of tests.
Beijing, Oct 16: China today declared that its maiden space mission was a "complete success" with its first astronaut on board the Shenzhou V spacecraft returning safely to Earth, after completing a series of tests.
The re-entry module of the spacecraft landed safely, after orbiting Earth 14 times, at 6.28 am (0358 IST) on the grasslands of inner Mangolia in North China, reported the official news agency.
Soon after touching down, television pictures showed astronaut Yang Liwei moving out of the re-entry capsule and waving to the recovery team.
Later, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao talked to the astronaut and warmly congratulated him and declared the complete success of the country's ambitious space project. "China's first space flight has been a complete success, which shall be written in the history of China's space programme development," Wen was quoted as saying by the news agency.
The recovery personnel at the landing site said the health condition of the 38-year-old Yang was good after he spent 21 hours in space covering a distance of 600,000 km. Yang was the 241st human being to visit outerspace.
China yesterday launched its maiden manned space mission from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-west Gansu province and become the third country alongside Russia and United States.
Bureau Report
The re-entry module of the spacecraft landed safely, after orbiting Earth 14 times, at 6.28 am (0358 IST) on the grasslands of inner Mangolia in North China, reported the official news agency.
Soon after touching down, television pictures showed astronaut Yang Liwei moving out of the re-entry capsule and waving to the recovery team.
Later, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao talked to the astronaut and warmly congratulated him and declared the complete success of the country's ambitious space project. "China's first space flight has been a complete success, which shall be written in the history of China's space programme development," Wen was quoted as saying by the news agency.
The recovery personnel at the landing site said the health condition of the 38-year-old Yang was good after he spent 21 hours in space covering a distance of 600,000 km. Yang was the 241st human being to visit outerspace.
China yesterday launched its maiden manned space mission from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-west Gansu province and become the third country alongside Russia and United States.
Bureau Report