China’s first female astronaut returns from space [View all]

[RandySF]

After nearly two weeks on the job, three Chinese astronauts, including Liu Yang, the country’s first female in space, returned to Earth on Friday, capping off China’s longest and most complex space mission, the Associated Press reported.

The highlight of Shenzhou-9’s mission was the three-person crew’s successful docking with the Tiangong-1 orbiting module, a move the AFP characterized as “essential to the process of building a space station.” Tiangong-1 is the foundation for China’s future space station, slated to be ready by 2020.

“Tiangong is our home in space. It’s warm and cozy,” Liu Yang said, shortly after landing. “We are proud of our motherland.”




http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/chinas-first-female-astronaut-returns-from-space/2012/06/29/gJQAEJHfBW_blog.html