Sept. 29 (Bloomberg) -- China plans to build a ``simple'' space laboratory in 2011 and a manned station nine years later, officials said yesterday as astronauts returned to Earth following the nation's first spacewalk.

The 68-hour mission was a ``great leap forward'' for Chinese space technology, state-run Xinhua News Agency cited Premier Wen Jiabao as saying after the Shenzhou VII capsule touched down in Inner Mongolia.

The ability to maneuver and work outside a spacecraft is essential to China's goal of putting an astronaut on the moon and having a permanent outpost in space, Xinhua cited Wang Zhaoyao, spokesman for China's manned space program, as saying.

China is the third nation after the former Soviet Union and U.S. to complete a spacewalk, which was broadcast live by state- owned China Central Television two days ago. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang remained outside the craft for less than 20 minutes, wearing a $4.4 million, 120-kilogram (265-pound) suit called Feitian, which means `flying the sky'' in Mandarin.

``It was a glorious mission,'' Zhai said on state TV after emerging from the landing capsule with his fellow crew members Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng. ``I'm proud of my motherland.''

China joined the former Soviet Union and U.S. as the only nations to put a person into orbit when its Shenzhou V carried astronaut Yang Liwei into space five years ago. It carried out its second manned space mission in October 2005.

Space Station

China said last year it wants to become the 17th member of the International Space Station program, which includes the U.S., Canada and nations in the European Space Agency.

China has said it wants to put an astronaut on the moon by 2020. Wang didn't provide a more precise timetable for that goal yesterday and said ``more investigation'' needs to be done, Xinhua reported.

``I believe, Chinese people will realize the grand plan in the near future,'' he was cited as saying.

China's space program is ramping up at a time when the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration plans a new mission to the moon.

The U.S. will retire its space shuttles in 2010 and turn its attention to building a replacement, the lunar-capable Orion. The job is expected to take at least five years. During that time, the U.S. will pay Russia as much as $2.8 billion to ferry U.S. astronauts and cargo to the space station.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ed Johnson in Sydney at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 28, 2008 20:33 EDT