China's "spacewalker" heads backs to earth

Astronaut Zhai Zhigang of China waves as he exits the Shenzhou VII space craft in this September 27, 2008 video grab. Zhai became the first Chinese man to walk in space on Saturday, clambering out of the space craft in a technological feat that Beijing wants the world to marvel about. REUTERS/CCTV via Reuters TV.

The man who made China's historic first "footprint in space" is preparing to return to earth on Sunday after a historic mission that boosted national pride and took his country one step closer to the moon.

Chinese spacecraft heads toward orbit

The Chinese astronauts, left to right, Jing Haipeng, Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming, attending a ceremony on Thursday before the launch of the Shenzhou 7 space craft. (Color China via AP)

The three-day mission is part of Project 921, China's ambitious manned space program, and is expected to include the first Chinese attempt at a space walk. Success would make China only the third country to accomplish a space walk, after Russia and the United States.