Chinese Astronauts Safely Return to Earth After First Spacewalk

By Wing-Gar Cheng

Sept. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Astronauts from China's third manned space mission returned safely to Earth after a 68-hour journey that included the nation's first spacewalk by Zhai Zhigang.

The Shenzhou VII capsule, crewed by Zhai, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, landed in central Inner Mongolia at 5.37 p.m. today. It was shown live on state-owned China Central Television. The astronauts launched Sept. 25 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu.

``It was a glorious mission,'' Zhai said on state TV, after emerging from the landing capsule. ``I'm proud of my motherland.''

China is the third nation after the U.S. and former Soviet Union to send an astronaut on a spacewalk. The nation's latest space mission is part of a program to put a Chinese national on the moon by 2020.

CCTV also showed live coverage of Zhai's spacewalk yesterday, detailing every move as he emerged through a hatch in Shenzhou VII. He wore a $4.4 million, 120-kilogram (265 pound) Feitian (``Flying the Sky'' in Mandarin) suit and remained outside the craft for less than 20 minutes.

The ability to maneuver and work outside a spacecraft is essential to China's goal of building a permanent space station.

``The success of the Shenzhou VII mission is an important milestone for China's space program,'' Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said on state television, after witnessing the landing at mission control in Beijing. ``Your historical feat will be remembered by the country and the people.''

Space Station Bid

China's first manned space mission came five years ago with astronaut Yang Liwei in the Shenzhou V. He was followed in October 2005 by astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng.

China said last year it wants to become the 17th member of the International Space Station program, which includes the U.S., Canada and nations in the European Space Agency.

The then-Soviet Union made the first manned spaceflight in April 1961, with cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbiting aboard Vostok 1. John Glenn, who went on to become a U.S. senator, completed the first U.S. orbital mission in February 1962.

The Soviets' Alexei Leonov made the first spacewalk on March 18, 1965. Less than three months later, on June 3, astronaut Ed White completed the first U.S. spacewalk.

The 23-minute walk, or extravehicular activity in the terminology of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was not long enough for White, who later said ending the walk was the ``saddest moment'' of his life, according to NASA's Web site.