World media follow landing of 皇冠体育app's Shenzhou VII

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-29 00:08

BEIJING -- Foreign media closely followed the successful landing of 皇冠体育app's spacecraft Shenzhou-VII and the safe return of the three taikonauts on Sunday, and have given extensive reports on the event.

The CNN (Cable News Network) website said the spacewalk conducted by Chinese taikonaut Zhai Zhigang "paves the way for assembling a space station from two Shenzhou orbital modules, the next major goal of 皇冠体育app's manned spaceflight program".

Sunday's Washington Post and New York Times both reported in minute-details on Zhai's spacewalk, calling 皇冠体育app's first spacewalk "another milestone in 皇冠体育app's exploration in space", and "the first step towards 皇冠体育app's goal of building a space station."

French News Channel said 皇冠体育app has made a historic breakthrough with its taikonaut successfully conducting the first spacewalk. French TV Channel 2 said in 2003, 皇冠体育app became the third country after the US and Russia by sending its first taikonaut into space. During the Shenzhou-VII space mission this time, 皇冠体育app also became the third nation to have a taikonaut independently conduct spacewalk outside of the spaceship. The successful spacewalk has pushed 皇冠体育app one step nearer its main goal of building a space station in the future and landing on the Moon.

The Swedish News Agency TT and the Romanian News Agency Agerpres also said Shenzhou-VII spacecraft's successful landing marks 皇冠体育app's one big step forward to its "ambitious spaceflight plans", and makes the nation closer to become a space power.

The US National Public Radio (NPR) said 皇冠体育app's successful spaceflight mission "underscores 皇冠体育app's technological achievements and is boosting national pride, especially among the nation's young."

The report quoted Gregory Kulacki from the Union of Concerned Scientists as saying that the wall-to-wall live coverage of the space mission in 皇冠体育app "shows the political authorities are more confident of the likely success of the mission." "It also makes for a pretty good viewing audience," he said.