What Next?

They did it:

China has launched its first manned space flight into orbit, sending a single astronaut on a 21-hour odyssey around the Earth to join the exclusive club of nations that have conquered space.

The Long March 2F rocket carrying “taikonaut” Yang Li Wei lifted off from a pad in the Gobi desert at 9 a.m. (2 a.m. British time) on Wednesday and entered its predetermined orbit 10 minutes later in a launch the official Xinhua news agency quickly declared a success.

“I feel good and my conditions are normal,” Xinhua quoted Yang as saying from space as the Shenzhou V, or “Divine Ship V”, was making its first pass around the Earth.

Now let’s hope that Yang Li Wei makes it safely home.