The Columbia, which was reportedly transporting a research program designed by Chinese students, disintegrated over Texas on Saturday as it re-entered the atmosphere, killing its seven crew members.

China Central Television (CCTV) provided breaking news about the disintegration of the Columbia on Saturday night, interrupting traditional Spring Festival programming.

In the aftermath of the accident, ordinary Chinese people from across China, including the remote western regions, followed the story closely and offered their condolences.

According to a random survey in a Chongqing street, more than half of those surveyed knew of the accident and offered their condolences to the relatives of the dead astronauts.

"This accident is a tragedy for the entire world, and also the price of mankind's progress," said Li Xinfen, a retired teacher in Chongqing.

China's newspapers usually suspend their publications during the Spring Festival holidays, but all of today's papers carried the story on their front pages, including images of the smiling astronauts in orbit and photos of a television screen depicting the disintegration in progress.

"It is very sad to hear this kind of story during the New Year holidays. I think all of them are heroes who gave their lives for the progress of mankind," said Wang Kai, a middle school student in Chongqing.

Chinese websites provided the latest news about the accident, and some chat sites featured discussions of the incident, most expressing surprise and regret.

China is working to become the third nation, after Russia and the United States, to send astronauts into orbit.

Last month, China's unmanned space capsule returned safely following a week-long flight.

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2003)