Access

News

Nature 437, 1075 (20 October 2005) | doi:10.1038/4371075b; Published online 19 October 2005

China launches plans for space exploration as taikonauts touch down

Mark Peplow & Tony Reichhardt

Top

Safe landing and heroes welcome after five-day trip in space.

The crew of China's second manned space mission returned safely to Earth on 16 October, boosting the country's reputation as a spacefaring nation."This proves they are now a player to stay," says Joan Johnson-Freese, an expert on China's space programme at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.