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| Liu Yang |
Beijing: In a bid to create a critical space docking in the latest challenge for the country's ambitious space programme China successfully launched its first woman astronaut into orbit on a mission.
The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft blasted into space on Saturday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in western Gansu province.
The spacecraft carries a crew of three astronauts, including China's first female astronaut in space, Liu Yang.
The Shenzhou 9 is set to dock with Tiangong 1, which is in orbit more than 300 kilometers above Earth.
According to officials, the crew is expected to spend about 13 days in space while conducting various experiments.