What goes up... (updated)

Successful manned launch for China. Now the next step is getting Taikonaut Lt. Col. Yang Liwei home safely.

"I will not disappoint the motherland," Sina.com, the country's leading Web site, quoted him as saying. "I will complete each movement with total concentration. And I will gain honor for the People's Liberation Army and for the Chinese nation."

Why is it that these Communists always have to sound like freakin' robots? How about a little emotion? Ya did good, go ahead and show it.

Nice photo of the launch here.

Update: More cool photos here, including shots of the Chinese version of 'Cape Canaveral' and a nice profile drawing of the rocket itself.

And from the Encyclopedia Aeronautica, a page chock full o' information and links about the Shenzhou-5.

Final Update: He landed safe and sound, 3 miles from the targeted point (according to Chinese officials). China, like Russia, returns it's capsules to land instead of at sea like the US.

Posted by Ted at October 15, 2003 10:54 AM | TrackBack