China launched its longest manned space mission today, sending two astronauts into orbit to spend a month aboard a space laboratory that is part of a broader plan to have a permanent manned space station in service around 2022.
The Shenzhou 11 blasted off on a Long March rocket at 7:30 a.m. from the remote launch site in Jiuquan, in the Gobi desert, in images carried live on state broadcaster CCTV.
The astronauts will dock with the Tiangong 2 space laboratory, or "Heavenly Palace 2", which was sent into space last month. It will be the longest stay in space by Chinese astronauts, state media reported.