In 2003 Mr Yang became the first person sent into space by the Chinese space programme, orbiting earth several times during a 21-hour flight.

2003年，杨利伟因中国宇宙项目成为中国进入宇宙的第一人，在长达21小时的飞行中，环绕地球数圈。

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The seven-person crew returned to Earth on Tuesday after being the first to take a space shuttle into orbit since the Columbia disaster of 2003.

本周二，“发现”号航天飞机的七位机组人员终于返回了地球，这是自2003年“哥伦比亚”号灾难事件后的首次航天飞行。

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But before NASA could send an astronaut into space, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union became the first person to travel in space.

VOA: special.2009.06.17

Today we finish the story of the first American program to send a person into space.

VOA: special.2009.06.17

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has volunteered to become the first person sent into space by his country's fledgling space programme.

BBC: Iran's President Ahmadinejad offers to go into space