China feiert weiter Erfolge im All

Chinesische Taikonauten sind sicher gelandet, was nicht nur die heimische Presse freut:

Newspapers in China have hailed the success of the Shenzhou VI manned space mission as a great new phase in the country's technological development and proof that its political and economic system is working. Most commentators seek to reassure the international community that China's space programme is aimed at promoting peace. However, the overall tone of triumph is tempered by one commentator, who notes that China lags behind the US and Russia in space exploration.

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Although it was only China's second manned space flight, Shenzhou VI was in many ways a great leap forward compared from the maiden space voyage in 2003. China became just the third country after the United States and the former Soviet Union to put a man in space in October 2003 with the Shenzhou V mission. The basic launch module technology of Shenzhou V and VI is identical, but experts have been able to count about 100 novelties. When China's first man in space Yang Liwei spent 21 hours orbiting the Earth 14 times in Shenzhou V, he did not leave his seat, take off his space suit or conduct any experiments. Astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng aboard Shenzhou VI, which blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Inner Mongolia last Wednesday, were much busier than Yang. Fei and Nie conducted a series of experiments and manoeuvres, including leaving the re-entry capsule and entering the orbital capsule, shedding their bulky suits and donning ordinary work clothes so they could move around easily. Work also included the testing of the environmental control and life support systems inside the craft.