The Commercial Crew Program (CCP) is a NASA program that aims to help the development of commercial space transportation. A collaboration with private companies will give the opportunity to reach the International Space Station and the low earth orbit and back in a reliable, economical and safe manner. The agency has announced the names of companies that will be funded to develop spacecrafts capable of carrying people into orbit.

In China it was morning when the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft landed in Siziwang county in Inner Mongolia. The landing was carried out using a parachute to slow the Shenzhou 9 descent but it was still rough, with the spacecraft turning upside down. The official statements arrived shortly after, however, reassure that the crew members – Jing Haipeng, Liu Wang, and the first Chinese woman in space Liu Yang – are all well.

The Chinese Shenzhou 9 spacecraft took off on June 16, 2012 and docked with the Tiangong 1 module with an automatic maneuver on June 18. Today, the three members of the crew which include the first Chinese woman have also successfully performed a maneuver to dock manually.