Chinese astronaut Fei Junlong aboard the Shenzhou VI spacecraft has entered the orbital capsule from the return capsule about nine hours after the blastoff, a significant breakthrough of China's space technology.

The move, the first of its kind undertaken by Chinese astronauts in space since the Shenzhou V manned flight in 2003, would enable Fei, on China's second manned space mission along with Nie Haisheng, to shake off his heavy space suit and conduct experiments and scientific research in work clothes in the capsule.

Nie Haisheng, who remains in the return capsule, is taking pictures of the orbital capsule with a digital camera after taking off space suit and putting on blue work clothes.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2005)