Shenzhou 5 was China's first crewed space mission, launched on October 15, 2003. The spacecraft carried astronaut Yang Liwei, who became the first Chinese citizen to travel into space. The mission lasted about 21 hours and orbited the Earth 14 times. During the flight, Shenzhou 5 demonstrated China's growing capabilities in space exploration. The successful mission marked a significant milestone for the China National Space Administration and paved the way for future missions, including space station construction and lunar exploration.