Shenzhou-5 completes orbit shift

Shenzhou-5 completed orbit shift at 15:57 Wednesday (Beijing time), according to a report by astronaut Yang Liwei and the ground monitoring result.

The Shenzhou-5 entered an elliptic orbit with a perigee of 200 kilometers and an apogee of 343 kilometers.

During the orbit shift, the spaceship was propelled into a circular orbit of 343 kilometers from the Earth, the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center announced, adding that this step is essential for the spaceship's on-track flight and accuratelanding.

The Shenzhou-5 entered its preset orbit about 10 minutes after the launch.

Greeting the world from space

Yang Liwei said "hello" to people all over the world while his spaceship was taking the 7th circle around the globe at around 6:40pm. It was the first Chinese greeting to mankind's mother planet from outer space, though the people of the country had been dreaming of this for thousands of years.

"I feel good," said Yang in his capsule.

During his orbital flight, Yang, who almost spent a sleepless night for pre-launch preparations, took a sweet "space snooze" for nearly three hours and was also believed to have enjoyed one or two "space meals".

On his space menu were typical Chinese dishes like spicy-and- sour shredded meat and sliced chicken meat, traditional desserts like "Eight-Treasure-Rice" and a drink of Chinese herbal tea, sources said.

At around 5:30 p.m. Beijing time, Yang had a short conversation with Cao Gangchuan, China's defense minister and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, via live communications systems. And two and a half hours later, he told his wife and son in a family chat "it looks extremely splendid around here."

Live footage showed Yang in good spirit in his capsule, as he once again told General Cao that he was feeling fine.

"I will strive to complete my tasks well and ensure the full success of the mission," Yang pledged.

Yang then displayed a five-star national flag of China and a United Nations flag, both of the miniature size, in his capsule.

This move was intended to highlight China's persistent pursuit of peaceful exploration of space, sources said.

Congratulations

In Washington, Pentagon spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said, "We wish them success and for their astronaut's safe return."

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe also congratulated on China's first successful human space flight. "This launch is an important achievement in the history of human exploration. China, after Russia and the United States, is only the third nation to successfully launch humans into space. The Chinese people have a long and distinguished history of exploration. NASA wishes China a continued safe human space flight program." O'Keefe said.

Wednesday's launch makes China the third country to put a human into space. The former Soviet Union sent Yuri Gagarin up in 1961; the United States launched Alan B. Shepard Jr. a month later. John Glenn became the first American in orbit in 1962.

"I will not disappoint the whole nation"

CCTV released a picture of Yang Liwei, 38, a pilot since 1983, boarding Shenzhou 5 about 8 am (8 p.m. EDT) Wednesday.

"I will not disappoint the whole Chinese people and the motherland. I will complete each movement with total concentration. And I will gain honor for the People's Liberation Army and for the Chinese nation," Yang took an oath before boarding.

Yang, who is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, was born in 1965 in Youzhong County in Liaoning province, an industrial area in China's northeast. His older sister said he was an athletic child who enjoyed swimming and ice skating. He works for the Aviation Military Unit of China's People's Liberation Army.