The recovery of Shenzhou VI re-entry capsule is "extremely satisfactory," Hou Ying, chief designer of the landing site system of China's space program, said Monday.

The current recovery technology is better and more mature than that in the first manned space mission in 2003, Hou said.

With recovery operations carried out at night, all equipment worked well. In particular, the optical equipment photographed the entire process of the unfurling of parachutes and the ignition of reverse-thrust engines, Hou said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2005)