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Astronauts now back home, new mission in 2007
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-10-17 16:45
China's second manned space flight ended successfully as the Shenzhou VI
craft returned to Earth, leading to patriotic celebrations and plans for an
ambitious new mission in 2007.
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Astronaut Nie
Haisheng (R) talks to journalists after he and Fei Junlong got out of
the re-entry capsule of the Shenzhou VI spacecaft at the main landing
field in Central Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Monday morning October
17, 2005. The module landed 4:33 A.M. after a five-day
flight.
| The capsule carrying astronauts Fei
Junlong and Nie Haisheng parachuted softly onto a field in the northern Chinese
region of Inner Mongolia to bring their five-day mission to a close, Xinhua news
agency said.
"Our journey in space was very smooth. The living and working conditions
inside the cabin were very good. Our health is okay, thanks," Fei said on state
television, with a radiant smile.
Emerging from the module, the two took a few seconds to adjust to the Earth's
gravity, before being presented with bouquets of flowers and waving to assembled
recovery teams and ground control staff.
The successful mission, followed for the past 115 hours by millions of people
across the country, boosted the nation's prestige and marked another step in
China's progress towards becoming a space power.
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