China Sends Man Into Orbit, Entering U.S.-Russian Club

China has joined the US and Russia as only the third nation to launch a person into space. The Shenzhou 5 blasted off from somewhere in China's Gobi Desert on Wednesday, carrying a lone astronaut into space. If all goes well and he returns home safely, China's leadership will have one more accomplishment to help boost domestic support for the communist party. President Hu Jintao says the launch "signifies the Chinese people have made another historically significant step forward in their progress toward conquering the summit of world science and technology." Analysts of China's space technology are divided on what the military implications of the launch may be, but there is general agreement that it does represent a significant technological advance for China. – YaleGlobal