This Day, That Year

Item from Nov 24, 1999, in China Daily: Military officers and space technology experts examine Shenzhou, China's first experimental spacecraft, as it was transported back to Beijing yesterday. Shenzhou is part of the country's manned space flight program, and the successful launch and retrieval mark a major breakthrough for China in manned space flight technology.

Since the maiden voyage of Shenzhou, the country's first unmanned test spaceship, China has been gearing up efforts to realize its space aspirations, which include an operational space station by 2020.

Ten missions, involving five unmanned flights and five manned ones, have been conducted. In 2003, the first manned space flight was completed by Shenzhou V, marking a milestone in the development of the Chinese space industry. Yang Liwei also became the country's first astronaut.