Successful End To Nation's Second Manned Spaceflight

The reentry module of Shenzhou VI carrying two Chinese taikonauts landed successfully early Monday morning in the grasslands of Northern China, successfully wrapping up a five-day, 70-plus-orbit trip into space.

Chinese citizens awaiting word of the landing watched a live feed of technicians at Beijing's mission control center -- as well as Chinese leaders -- monitoring the reentry and landing on their computer monitors, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. State television did not immediately show scenes of the landing itself.

Taikonauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng were said to be in "good health," following their flight, and were taken by helicopter to a nearby airport for a flight back to Beijing. According to media reports, the two men will remain in isolation for 14 days to undergo medical checkups, but family members will be allowed to visit them.

Fei and Nie are expected to make a public appearance soon -- though according to the newspaper Beijing News some minor arrangements might need to be made beforehand. "After several days of flying in space, the astronauts may look wan and sallow, so medical staff will put makeup on them to make them look ruddy," the newspaper said.

Such declarations are a sign of China's continued relaxation of the secrecy such an event may have received not too long ago. In 2003, China's first manned orbital spaceflight received similar national attention, with citizens glued to their televisions awaiting the latest news of astronaut Yang Liwei during his 21.5-hour orbital flight aboard Shenzhou V.

Chinese citizens followed Shenzhou VI's progress around the clock, beginning with Wednesday's launch of the capsule. Both taikonauts made several statements from orbit during their flight, including a message broadcast Saturday thanking all Chinese citizens for their support of the flight.

Sometimes, the coverage also took a more lighthearted approach, drawing comparisons to NASA's occasionally relaxed conversations with, and presentations featuring, astronauts in orbit. On Saturday, for example, Chinese television showed footage of Fei turning somersaults in zero-gravity.

State television also put together a musical montage of the astronauts' activities -- such as taking their blood pressure, conducting experiments and reading books -- along with photos they had taken of the vessel's solar panels.

The orbital sectional of the Shenzhou VI capsule, the crew's living quarters during their five days in orbit, remained in space and is expected to continue operating for up to six months, according to Xinhua. In the future, such capsules may be used as "building blocks" for a Chinese space station, functioning as additional service modules for the larger structure.

FMI: www.cnsa.gov.cn/main_e.asp