Special report: 2nd Manned Space Mission

Photo taken on Oct. 17, 2005 shows Chinese astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng carrying flowers after landing in Siziwang Banner (County), north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The re-entry capsule of China's second manned spacecraft, Shenzhou-6, which blasted off on Oct. 12 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Gansu Province, touched down at the landing site in Siziwang Banner, at 4:33 am Oct. 17 (2033 GMT) following a five-day mission. (Xinhua Photo)

    BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- The re-entry capsule of China's Shenzhou-6 spacecraft, carrying taikonauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, landed on earth safely at 4:33 a.m. Monday.

    Both the spacecraft and taikonauts are "in fine conditions," the taikonauts reported after setting feet on earth again after their 115-hour-and-32-minute spaceflight, which was more than fivetimes that of China's maiden manned spaceflight two years ago.

    The re-entry capsule landed just 1 km away from the preset spot.

    Both taikonauts got out of the capsule by themselves, who were given seats to sit down and each presented a bouquet of flowers.

    "We feel fine," said Fei. Nie thanked the concern and support of the people. Both waved the flowers to the welcoming crowd.

    At the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center, Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo declared China's second manned space mission a "complete success," and stressed that it signifies landmark progress of China's space technology and great achievement of China's space experiments tended by human.

    "The successful mission is of great significance for elevating China's prestige in the world and promoting China's economic, scientific and national defense capabilities, and its national cohesiveness," he said.

    Fei and Nie blast off Wednesday morning on China's second manned space mission, two years after China's first manned spaceflight, making it the third country to put human into space following Russia and the United States. Enditem

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