China launches manned spaceflight

Wednesday, 15 October 2003 12:00 AM

China has successfully launched the Shenzhou 5 or 'Divine Vessel' spacecraft into orbit, rendering the Communist state the third nation on earth to achieve manned space flight.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the astronaut or "taikonaut" was 38-year-old air force Lt. Col. Yang Liwei.

The ship launched at 0900 local time Wednesday (0100 GMT) at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the remote Gobi Desert base, 175 miles northeast of Jiuquan, entering the earth's orbit 10 minutes later.

Yuri Gagarin of the former Soviet Union was the first to blast off in 1961. He was followed by the Alan B. Shepard Jr. of the US a month later.

Xinhua said Colonel Yang reported back to earth saying he "felt good" following the lift-off.

Analysts suggested today was the favoured blast off date, coming a day after the Third Plenum of the ruling Communist party's Central Committee concluded proceedings in Beijing.

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