First Chinese Spacewalk

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Successfully completing a spacewalk solidifies China's status as a space power, and helps the nation move toward its goal of establishing a more permanent presence in space.

"We're probably looking at an effort to do a manned docking [in the future] and eventually a spacelab," said Dean Cheng, China analyst with Alexandria, Va.-based think tank CNA Corp. "This is part of the progression toward that end. And if the Chinese really are intending to put a man on the moon, then this becomes even more essential."

In addition to proving China's ability to maneuver in space, the spacewalk showed that China can produce reliable and safe space equipment. During his space venture, Zhai wore a new Chinese-built spacesuit, dubbed Feitian (Chinese for "fly the sky").

The suit, which reportedly cost 30 million yuan (about $4.4 million), did its job protecting Zhai from the harsh temperatures and radiation of space. It has 10 layers of insulation, weighs about 265 pounds (120 kg), and takes up to 15 hours to assemble and put on, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

Another important feature of the spacewalk was the fact that it was broadcast live, which represents not only China's technological prowess, but its growing confidence and increasing efforts at transparency.