BEIJING, July 26 (UPI) -- President Xi Jinping told Shenzhou-10 astronauts and scientists the mission was a perfect finish for the current phase of China's manned space program.
Xi shook hands with astronauts Nie Haisheng, Zhang Xiaoguang and Wang Yaping, as well as others who worked on the mission, and was photographed with them Friday, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.
The Shenzhou-10 capsule carrying the astronauts docked with the orbiting space lab Tiangong-1 twice during the June 11-26 mission.
During 12 days in the Tiangong-1 the astronauts conducted experiments and tests, and delivered a lecture to students on Earth about basic physics principles.
China has sent 10 astronauts and six spacecraft into space since it began manned space flight in 2003.
