China's first piloted spacecraft has entered the outer space, and Lieutenant Colonel Yang Liwei is now the first Chinese astronaut in space in the world's 241st manned space mission. At around 9:10, Shenzhou V moved into preset orbit, indicating success of China's endeavor to get a piloted space vehicle of its own into orbit.
Chinese President Hu Jintao watched the launch process from mission-control at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
Yang Liwei reported back to earth at 9:34 a.m. (Beijing time) that the spacecraft Shenzhou V was operating normally in orbit and that he felt fine, sources at the mission-control center of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center said.
(Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2003)
