BEIJING, CHINA: China became the third country to conduct a spacewalk after the US and Russia when Zhai Zhigang did a 20-minute spacewalk on 27 Sept.

Zhai’s spacewalk concluded a decade of training together with crewmates Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, all 42.

The Shenzhou VII crew received a heroes’ welcome when they returned to Beijing after completing the historic 68-hour space voyage.

“It was a glorious mission, full of challenges with a perfect ending. I feel proud of the motherland,” Zhai told CCTV. The former fighter pilot and two-time Shenzhou reserve now has a place in history as the first Chinese spacewalker. (By HU YINAN/ The Brunei Times/ ANN)