Posted: Mon, Nov 24, 2003, 10:21 AM ET (1521 GMT)
A Chinese science satellite launched earlier this month landed in southwestern China on Friday, returning data from experiments carried out in orbit. The FSW-18 spacecraft landed Friday in the Sichuan province of southwestern China at 9:04 pm EST Thursday (0204 GMT, 10:04 am Beijing time Friday) after spending 18 days in orbit. The spacecraft had been launched on a Long March 2D from the Jiuquan launch center on November 3. While in orbit, the spacecraft carried out "research, land surveying, mapping and other scientific experiments," according to the Chinese news media, which did not provide additional details.

Related Links:

•  Xinhua article
•  AP article