Wrapping up a historic day in space, the Shenzhou 5 return capsule parachuted to a soft touchdown today, bringing to an end China's first manned voyage into space and opening the door for a wide variety of future plans in the final frontier.

Yang Liwei waves after climbing from his capsule.

Touchdown came at 6:23 a.m. local time Thursday (2223 GMT; 6:23 p.m. EDT Wednesday), according to the central Chinese television network CCTV and the Xinhua news organization. Video from the landing site showed the craft's single occupant -- Lt. Colonel Yang Liwei -- waving to a crowd assembled around the capsule as it laid on its side minutes after landing.

Chinese media also reported the landing point was just 4.8 kilometers from the targeted touchdown site in Inner Mongolia.

Yang was carried away from the spacecraft in a seat and looked a bit wobbly and dazed on state television coverage of the event. Official reports from Xinhua say Yang "was confirmed to remain in good health" after his 21-hour stint in orbit.

The taikonaut soon left the landing site for a two-hour flight to the capital city of Beijing, the location of China's control center, training facility and the home of Yang's family. "The spaceship operated well. I feel very good and I am proud of my motherland," he said.

After its launch early Wednesday from the Jiuquan space center aboard a Long March 2F rocket, the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft entered orbit with passenger Yang Liwei, a 38-year old Chinese fighter pilot that found himself thrust into the international spotlight with his selection for the inaugural manned flight.

His first published report came 34 minutes after his launch into a crystal clear blue sky at Jiuquan. He simply said, "I feel good and my conditions are normal," said the official People's Daily news agency.

Crowds gather around the capsule as China's first human spaceflight concludes.

Throughout his historic 21-hour journey, the 5-foot, 6-inch taikonaut -- or yuhangyuan -- reported no ill effects and no technical problems with the spacecraft were reported. Conversations with the ground control center in Beijing reportedly went as expected as communications was relayed through tracking stations and sea vessels scattered around the world.

Yang also spoke with senior Chinese officials and his family via a radio link during the flight. In a conversation with defense minister Cao Gangchuan on the mission's sixth orbit, Yang vowed to successfully complete the mission and to "complete my tasks well," Xinhua reported.

The new Chinese national hero told his wife he was enjoying his time in space. "I'm feeling very good in space, and it looks extremely splendid around here," Yang said. "I've caught sight of our beautiful home (the Earth) and recorded all what I've seen here," he told his 8-year old son.

Cameras aboard Shenzhou 5 -- meaning "divine vessel" -- captured images and video of Yang going through his checklists, waving to officials and his family on the ground, and holding up a Chinese and United Nations flag.

Yang also consumed Chinese food stores aboard the craft, including rice, spicy and sour shredded meat, and diced chicken meat. Also aboard was a serving of medicinal herbs and tonics, Xinhua said.

As expected, Shenzhou 5's entry and service modules were jettisoned from the orbital module as the time neared for the pivotal de-orbit burn to bring the taikonaut back to Earth. Thrusters were then fired to nudge the craft out of orbit and to put it on a trajectory to land in the steppes of Inner Mongolia, about 1,000 kilometers from the launch site at Jiuquan. The orbital module remained behind in space to complete its own mission over the next several months.

China's official Xinhua news agency said the command for the return was sent at 2135 GMT (5:35 p.m. EDT; 5:35 a.m. Beijing time).

After tearing its way through the upper atmosphere and having slowed drastically from its orbital speed of five miles per second, the capsule deployed its parachutes to further slow the vehicle before coming to a soft landing.

The Shenzhou 5 capsule nears touchdown.

In all, the mission lasted approximately 21 hours, 23 minutes from liftoff to touchdown. The historic flight completed 14 orbits of Earth and traveled about 600,000 kilometers.

China's next venture into space could come as soon as a few months from now. Either a repeat of the Shenzhou 5 feat, or featuring a bigger crew or longer mission duration, the next Shenzhou flight should put China a step closer to realizing its dreams of establishing a foothold in space.

Plans to launch a space station in the coming years hinge on the ability to conduct rendezvous and docking activities between spacecraft, in addition to developing the capability to go on spacewalks. Experts believe these are key milestones for the China manned program in the months and years ahead.

"Yang's return to land from outer space signifies completion of the first step taken by China to implement its plans for space exploration. More steps are to follow -- attempts for space walk, rendezvous and docking of spaceships and setting up of a space lab," Xinhua reported Wednesday night.

"Sometime from now, up in the space, high up over the Earth, there will be a space station which, like Shenzhou 5 that has just made history, will be designed, built and manned by the Chinese," the agency said.