The Apollo 10 mission is a dress rehearsal for a July moon landing

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Two US astronauts aboard Apollo 10 are on their way back to the safety of their mother ship after their lunar module came to within eight nautical miles (14kms) of the Moon's surface.

Colonel Thomas Stafford and Commander Eugene Cernan were carrying out a rehearsal for a planned Moon landing this summer.

They were in the lunar module (LM) nicknamed Snoopy and are now about to rejoin the command module (aka Charlie Brown) piloted by Commander John Young 50 miles (80km) above the Moon.

The two spacemen came closer than any human being has come to acelestial body.

"Snoopy" made two passes over the planned landing site for Apollo 11 before making a successful rendezvous with "Charlie Brown".

After the first sweep at six times the speed of sound, Col Stafford said they had taken so many photographs he feared the camera had jammed while trying to change the film.

"We just saw earthrise - the Earth appearing over the edge of the lunar horizon - and it's got to be magnificent." Commander Eugene Cernan said.

If the mission fails to bring back still shots of possible landing sites and approaches it will be a serious blow to Apollo planners. They want to make sure astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have a safe landing this July in Apollo 11.

But Col Stafford did manage to get a good view of the surface which he described as "very smooth, like wet clay".

Commander Cernan then reported to control at Houston: "We just saw earthrise - the Earth appearing over the edge of the lunar horizon - and it's got to be magnificent. It would be nice to be here more often."

Apollo 10 was launched four days ago from Cape Kennedy. It is the fourth manned Apollo launch within seven months.

It is hoped that the mission will bring back plenty of colour stills and moving images of the Moon and views of the Earth.

President Nixon and Mr Brezhnev met on the first day of the American visit

The welcome party consisted of Soviet president Nikolai Podgorny, Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin and Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko.

A twenty-minute ceremony, during which the president briefly inspected a guard of honour, was held and broadcast live by Moscow television.

'International issues'

The national anthems of both countries were played and a carefully selected group of Soviet citizens dutifully, but silently, waved American and Soviet flags.

President Nixon, the first US president to visit Moscow, was said to be surprised that Leonid Brezhnev, general secretary of the Communist Party, was not at the airport.

But Soviet officials said Mr Brezhnev's absence was according to protocol, as he does not hold a government position.

However, following a high-speedmotorcadethrough Moscow, President Nixon was invited to unscheduled talks with Mr Brezhnev at the Kremlin.

The meeting lasted 105 minutes and, although US officials would not give details, Ronald Ziegler, the White House press secretary, said the two men discussed "international issues".

Many observers were hoping the war in Vietnam and the nuclear arms race would be high on the agenda.

For the first time in history the stars and stripes flag of America flew over the Grand Palace of the Kremlin to mark the visit.

This evening President Nixon and his wife attended a banquet at the Kremlin. The couple walked along a red carpet and up a 60-step staircase into the Granovit banqueting hall, where the two presidents drank toasts to peace.

There are known differences between the two men on such issues as the war in Vietnam and the Middle East.

President Nixon spoke about the need for co-operation and reciprocation between the two countries in their efforts to conquer disease, improve the environment, and to expand bilateral trade and economic links.

He said he was eager to make the summit a memorable one for its substance.

During his speech he alluded to Vietnam: "We should recognise that it is the responsibility of great powers to influence other nations in conflict or crisis to moderate their behaviour."

He also spoke of a possible arms agreement which, he said "could begin to turn our countries away from a wasteful and dangerous arms race and towards more production for peace".

President Podgorny said the Soviet Union wanted not just good but friendly relations with the US.

The US president is due to remain in the Soviet Union until 29 May.

celestial body:天体

motorcade:汽车行列