Normally very serious and measured in her words, my friend definitely didn't strike me as a raving nationalist. But China's feat of putting a pair of taikonauts into outer space – only the third country in the world to do so – strummed a nationalistic chord deep within.

"It's very important to prove the strength of a country and as the third country to send men into space that means we have the latest technology, more money, more perfect people who work together," she said slowly, with an uncharacteristically wide smile. "All Chinese are very proud."

It seems the latest space mission ranks up there with the extremely popular upcoming Olympics, yet another reason for nationalism.

The first Chinese astronaut, who orbited the Earth for 21 hours in 2003, was the former People's Liberation Army fighter pilot, Yang Liwei. Almost overnight the 38-year-old became a national hero, a symbol of pride, as his visage was featured in state newspapers and television. Yang ensured popular support for government spending of billions of dollars on the military-run space program. Now plans are in place for a space walk, an orbiting space station and a moon landing by 2010.

Unlike the first manned spacecraft, Shenzhou 5, that took off from a launching pad in the Gobi Desert, China's very secretive space program broadcast the Shenzhou 6 or "Divine Vessel" launch live on state television. I watched the English version. A young man counted down and with a trembling finger he pressed the button that sent the rocket and capsule upward. He looked like he was going to faint from nervous excitement.

And not only did I see a beaming President Hu Jintao and dozens of cheering scientists in the control room, but hundreds of millions of Chinese also heard the first words from one of the two taikonauts, Fei Junlong: "We're feeling good."

On the second day, the daughter of one of the taikonauts sang happy birthday to him. He had to wipe the tears from his face. It was brilliant PR. All these very public displays are indeed signs of a newfound stride that China has found in its native space technology. It signals yet another move on China's part to exert its superpower status and gain international respect.

In an exclusive interview on TV, Yuan Jia Jun, the president of the Academy of Space Technology, proclaimed that Shenzhou 6's successful takeoff adds confidence to future programs and that "finally, China is becoming a solid force in human space exploration."

Friends also told me about cheering people waiting at airports or in other public spaces, their eyes glued to the TV. I thought the country had caught space fever. That is until later that morning when I called our ayi (another word for aunt or domestic helper) to watch a re-run of the rocket launch. "Come and watch this!" I said.

Xiao He sauntered over and watched. After three seconds she walked away. "What did you think?" I asked. "I don't know," she replied. "You don't know? Isn't it a really good thing?" I said. "I guess," she said. Xiao He cares more about the cost of groceries and whether her old Hutong neighbourhood will still be around in the next five years than about a space rocket.

Some are saying the government is using the space program to try to stir up faith and zeal in the party again. With the almost irresistible forces of capitalism, consumerism and individualism sweeping the masses off their feet, and the combination of a widening gap between rich and poor, tens of millions of disgruntled farmers marching toward the cities, and dozens of angry citizen groups rioting daily all over the country about blatant corruption and cronyism, it wouldn't be an understatement to say an unwavering belief in the government and communism is a thing of the past.

But could it be that this very Shenzhou space program that brings with it a stamp of world prestige and waves of patriotism can also inject some popularity back into what many believe is an increasingly irrelevant ruling elite?

While the second manned spacecraft was up in space for five days this time around, the two taikonauts, Fei Junlong, and Nie Haishen, conducted some scientific experiments that involved pig sperm and the eggs of hens and silkworms. Exact details of what they were doing, and for what purposes are not known and perhaps will never be disclosed.

But in what seems to be rather defensive posturing, the Chinese leaders have come out to say vehemently they are not using their budding program for the weaponization of space. Then what will their efforts mean for international space co-operation? So far, China has not looked to the U.S. for help, but it has dropped hints that it wants to be a team player. And for the most part, the U.S. State Department is pretty congratulatory towards the latest member of the elite club.

However, the question remains whether China can resist the strategic military advantages that come with advanced space technology. Time magazine reported recently that a 2001 Pentagon report predicted China would be the United States' number 1 rival in space and that the use of weapons up there was "inevitable." NASA has been plagued with budget and other issues, but co-operation with the Russians has blossomed.

Whatever happens, China's latest foray into space, to go where few have gone before, has captured the imagination of the Chinese people. It is nothing short of a miracle that China has now sent three men into space since it launched its first satellite in 1970 that did nothing but blast the Maoist anthem, The East is Red.

Sylvia is an author and journalist based in Beijing. Her varied career includes working as a broadcast journalist, TV producer, magazine editor and freelance writer in Vancouver, Victoria and Toronto. She helped establish the Asian Heritage Society in Victoria, B.C. She's currently writing a book on "Comfort women" or military sex slaves used by the Japanese Imperial Army.