China sends first woman into space

(Jiuquan) – China launched its most ambitious space mission carrying its first female astronaut and two male colleagues in an attempt to dock with an orbiting module and work on board for more than a week. The Shenzhou 9 capsule lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert.
China is hoping to join the United States and Russia as the only countries to send independently maintained space stations into orbit. It is already one of just three nations to have launched manned spacecraft on their own. Another manned mission to the module is planned for later this year, while possible future missions could include sending a man to the moon.