JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday congratulated the country's space scientists and astronauts on the successful launch of the Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft.
"I feel very glad to hear the success of launching the Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft and I would like to extend warm congratulations and sincere regards to all those participating in the research and tests (of the country's space program)," Hu said in a congratulatory letter sent from Denmark's Copenhagen, where he is paying a state visit.
State Councilor Liu Yandong read the letter on behalf of the president at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
The rendezvous and docking between the Shenzhou-9 spaceship and the orbiting space lab module Tiangong-1 will mark a major breakthrough in the country's manned space program, said Hu in the letter.
He expressed the hope that the space staff carry on their work unremittingly and focus on following jobs to achieve a full-scale triumph.
China on Saturday sent its first female astronaut, together with her two male crew mates, aboard the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, into space.
Shenzhou-9, atop an upgraded Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 6:37 p.m. Saturday.
JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou-9 spacecraft on a Long March-2F carrier rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China in late Saturday afternoon.Full story
JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Shenzhou-9 spaceship will be thrust into space by an upgraded Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Full story
JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The space lab module Tiangong-1 has been lowered to the docking orbit 343 km above Earth and awaits rendezvous and docking with the manned spaceship Shenzhou-9. It is ready to accommodate astronauts. Full story
JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, carrying China's first female astronaut Liu Yang and two male ones Jing Haipeng and Liu Wang, is planned to travel for 13 days in outer space. Full Story
JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center held a see-off ceremony for China's first female astronaut and two male crew mates, due to board the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, on Saturday afternoon. Full story
JIUQUAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- As China prepares for its upcoming manned space docking mission, experts at home and abroad are sketching new profiles of Chinese astronauts shaping the country's ambitions.Full story
JIUQUAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China's first female astronaut Liu Yang, together with her two male crew mates Jing Haipeng and Liu Wang, met the media on Friday.
The three astronauts will board the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft on Saturday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China to fulfill China's first manned space docking mission. Full story
JIUQUAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Liu Yang, a 33-year-old former pilot, has been selected as China's first female astronaut, taking her place as one of three members of China's Shenzhou-9 spacecraft crew. Full story
