China space mission lands after first spacewalk

Three Chinese astronauts emerged from their capsule today upon a jubilant return to Earth after successfully completing the country’s first-ever spacewalk mission.

State broadcaster CCTV showed their Shenzhou 7 spaceship landing under clear skies in the grasslands of China’s northern Inner Mongolia region at 5:37pm (10.37am Irish Time). Premier Wen Jiabao applauded at mission control in Beijing.