This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-37670842

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
China's Shenzhou 11 blasts off on space station mission China's Shenzhou 11 blasts off on space station mission
(about 1 hour later)
China has launched two men into orbit in a project designed to develop its ability to explore space.China has launched two men into orbit in a project designed to develop its ability to explore space.
The astronauts took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northern China at 23:30 GMT on Sunday. The astronauts took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northern China.
The plan is for them to dock with and then spend 30 days on board the Tiangong 2 space station testing its ability to support life. They will dock with the experimental Tiangong 2 space lab and spend 30 days there, the longest stay in space by Chinese astronauts.
This and previous launches are seen as pointers to possible crewed missions to the Moon or Mars.This and previous launches are seen as pointers to possible crewed missions to the Moon or Mars.
An earlier Tiangong - or "Heavenly Palace" - space station was decommissioned earlier this year after docking with three rockets.An earlier Tiangong - or "Heavenly Palace" - space station was decommissioned earlier this year after docking with three rockets.
The astronauts on this latest mission were named as Jing Haipeng, 49, who has already been in space twice, and 37-year-old Chen Dong. The astronauts on this latest mission were Jing Haipeng, 49, who has already been in space twice, and 37-year-old Chen Dong.
They set off at 07:30 local time on board a Shenzhou 11 spacecraft lifted by a Long March-2F rocket. Their spacecraft, Shenzhou-11, took off from at 07:30 local time on Monday (23:30 GMT), lifted by a Long March-2F rocket.
China continues to develop its space programme. It has already conducted a space walk and is only the third country after Russia and the US to carry out its own crewed space missions. The astronauts will spend the next month conducting experiments on the Tiangong 2.
In 2013 China successfully landed its un-crewed Yutu rover on the Moon. China plans to expand the lab over the next few years by sending up additional modules. It is expected to be fully operational by 2022.
China is only the third country - after Russia and the US - to carry out its own crewed space missions.
In 2013 it successfully landed its un-crewed Yutu, or Jade Rabbit, rover on the Moon.