Few knew the launch would happen Wednesday morning as China's state-controlled media had downplayed coverage in the runup to the 9 amliftoff.

But soon after the official China Central Television began a delayed broadcast of the launch from northern Inner Mongolia with astronaut Yang Liwei on board, small crowds began gathering near giant television screens outside shopping malls.

One man could not keep his eyes off a screen outside the Wonderful supermarket in central Beijing and nearly ran his cycle into a car.

"I feel very proud," said He Wei, a Beijing man, watching the Shenzhou V blast off on the supermarket's screen.

"This shows our country's scientific capabilities are rising. I want our country to be as strong as possible because then we can stand up a little straighter."

People watching the launch expressed pride in China and many immediately equated sending a man into space with the country being more powerful, both technologically and economically.

"We couldn't have done this if our country's economy wasn't strong," said Zhou Shenlin, a store owner.

"Now I feel the gap between our country and other countries is narrowing. In the past we were looked down upon by foreigners."

Despite decades of peace, many still recall historical periods when China was controlled by foreign countries, and they said developing space technology would prevent that from happening again.

"If we fall behind others in space, we will be pinned down. Wars will be fought in space in the future, not on the ground. If we don't gain space technology, other countries can see everything we do from above, but we would not be able to see what they're doing," said Zhang Guoguang, 42.

Sending a man into space was necessary despite the enormous costs, he and others said, although some watching the launch admitted they had never heard of Shenzhou V.

Analysts have said the government wanted to keep the public in the dark until after a successful launch so as not to risk public disappointment if it failed.

Reflecting on the low-key approach, Zhang said teachers at his 14-year-old son's school did not tell students about the event.

"I'm going to tell my kid to watch television tonight. He should learn about this. In my generation, we didn't even have a chance to study science because of the Cultural Revolution," Zhang said, referring to the chaotic and violent 10-year period from 1966-76.

Yang, the round-faced astronaut whose stout and bulky spacesuit-clad figure blanketed television screens, was branded a "hero" for taking the risk to be the first.

Issuing parking space stubs while she listened to a broadcast, attendant Li Aiqin wondered what it was like for Yang up in space.

"I don't know how he's going to spend more than 20 hours up there," Li said.

Some people have criticised the space program as being an unnecessary move by the government to seek prestige, saying the money should be spent creating jobs and helping impoverished farmers.

And those too poor or overworked did not take notice of the event Wednesday that made China only the third country in the world to send a person into orbit.

"We don't have time to watch the news," said bicycle parking attendant Li Zhenjun. "We work 15 hours a day. It won't have any impact on us."

SPACE.WIRE