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China's Space Shot a Prelude to Manned Flight

NPR | By Rob Gifford
Published December 30, 2002 at 12:00 AM EST

China launches its fourth unmanned space capsule into Earth orbit. The government said the program could "soon lead to a manned space voyage." NPR's Rob Gifford and Renee Montagne discuss why the race to space is so important to China's national pride.

Copyright 2002 NPR
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Rob Gifford
Rob Gifford is the NPR foreign correspondent based in Shanghai.
See stories by Rob Gifford
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