IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

How China cleans up the news ... and an astronaut's face

Seven years after it happened, we're hearing more about the behind-the-scenes media management surrounding China's first space shot. Now The New York Times is reporting that No. 1 taikonaut Yang Liwei suffered a hard landing - so hard that he split his lip, covering his face with blood. The Chinese had to clean up the blood and stage the hatch opening once again for the cameras. That's one small step for state media control, but it's not the only revelation to come out recently. Last month we talked about Yang's dog-meat diet in space.