The capsule, the recoverable section of a probe launched to carry out scientific experiments in space, accidentally landed on the building in southwestern Sichuan province after an 18-day mission, the Youth Daily said.

"A giant parachute with a conical-shaped black 'top' was seen falling from the sky and landed through the roof of a villager's house in the Tianbeizi vegetable market area," the newspaper said.

The roof was completely destroyed, with the supporting pillars knocked to the ground, it said. However the capsule was undamaged and was hauled away after being inspected by experts.

The report did not give a reason for the accident and attempted to play down the significance of the crash-landing.

"The returning capsule only went through the roof and no one was injured or died. Experts who inspected the return capsule found it was not damaged at all," the report said, quoting local official Ai Yuqing.

"The landing technology of our country's satellites is very mature and the precision of the landing point is among the best in the world. Members of the public need not worry about this," it also said, quoting Chinese space experts.

The satellite, atop a Long March 2-D carrier rocket, was fired from the remote Jiuquan Satellite launch centre in northwestern Gansu province in the 20th such mission launched by China.

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