China’s first female astronaut and two other crew members emerged smiling from a capsule that returned safely to earth on Friday from a 13-day mission to an orbiting module that is a prototype for a future space station.
The Shenzhou 9 parachuted to a landing on the grasslands of the country’s sprawling Inner Mongolia region at about 10 a.m. (0200 GMT). China declared the first manned mission to the Tiangong 1 module a major stride ahead for the country’s ambitious space program.
About an hour later, mission commander Jing Haipeng, 45, emerged from the capsule, followed by crew mates Liu Wang, 43, and 33-year-old Liu Yang, China’s first female astronaut.
The three, all experienced Air Force pilots, were lifted on to folding chairs and appeared in good health. They smiled, waved, chatted and saluted as state television ran live footage from the landing site.
“Tiangong 1, our home in space, was comfortable and pleasant. We’re very proud of our nation,” Liu Yang told national broadcaster CCTV.
Space program commander, Gen. Chang Wanchuan, declared the astronauts in good health and declared the mission “completely successful.”
The mission had included both remote control and piloted dockings with the module and extensive medical monitoring of the astronauts as part of preparations for manning a permanent space station.
Launched on June 16 from the Jiuquan centre on the edge of the Gobi desert in northern China, Shenzhou 9 is the latest success for China’s manned space program that launched its first astronaut, Yang Liwei, into space in 2003, making China just the third nation after Russia and the U.S. to achieve that feat. China would also be the third country after the United States and Russia to send independently maintained space stations into orbit.
Keywords: Shenzhou 9, Liu Yang
Techonology once developed by any one it reaches for all human in span of time like light(bulb). As a Human we should appreciate their efforts and hardwork.Gratefull to you all.
Well Done. Liu Yang,Jing Haipeng,Liu Wang
Well done Liu Yang.You are inspiring Other womens also.
Congratulations....well done..!!
Well done by three astronauts of China and now China has shown that they
can overtake USA by accomplishing this task. No doubt China is moving
very fast forward in science and technology. Why? We should ponder
over it. Now, they are throwing challenge to America in Science &
Technology. We have also made developments in science and technology
but our scientists are not given their due respect and now politics have
entered this area also. We have to appreciate our scientists and
encourage this area on merit without any alienation.
You have done a great job Liu Yang,Jing Haipeng,Liu Wang
No news channel has given appropriate heed to this news in India. We all are busy with filthy corruption and political news. Aim at result and not on process.
Great job Liu Yang,Jing Haipeng,Liu Wang
and Congrats too.
hats-off you LIU YANG and the other two crew members...
It is a great technological achievement for China. Why should we see this as a competition? Every nation can have its own space programme based on necessities. Does India require to work on regulating the monsoon through its space department? Does India need to generate electric power differently? How do we stop losing agricultural lands by the data from remote sensing satellites of ISRO? Should we ape any foreign project?
Kudos to China's space program. Arthur Clarke predicted this long ago in his '2010: Odyssey Two' novel. Don't be surprised when they blast off to Jupiter with a crew, leaving NASA in the dust.
Please Email the Editor