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China Sends First Female Astronaut Liu Yang Into Orbit On Space Station Mission (PHOTOS)

China Sends First Female Astronaut Into Orbit On Space Station Mission
Michael Rundle
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China has taken a huge step towards constructing its own permanent space station by sending its first female astronaut into space, and docking with its Tiangong space module.

China launched Liu Yang into orbit aboard the Shenzou-9 craft on Saturday, from the Jiuquan spaceport, along with Commander Jing Haipen and flight engineer Liu Wang.

On Monday the craft docked successfully with the Tiangong space module, which is also known as 'Heavenly Place'.

The docking was completed by an automatic system, helped by a range of laser targeting systems and sensors.

The crew will now enter the module and spend 13 days working and sleeping onboard, completing tests and sending messages back home.

Only two members of the crew will enter the module at once, in case of emergency.

The mission - China's fourth manned in space - is seen as a vital test ahead of a full-scale attempt to build an orbiting space craft to compete with the International Space Station headed by the US and Russia.

And with the US still unable to launch its own astronauts until 2017 and Russia pulling back from manned space missions altogether, some believe China could soon be the dominant power in space.

China has said it is planning a unmanned Moon mission, possibly followed by other missions carrying astronauts.

China: Space Missions 2012
Jing Haipeng, Liu Wang, Liu Yang(01 of11)
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(credit:AP)
Jing Haipeng, Liu Wang, Liu Yang(02 of11)
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In this image made off the monitor screen at the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center and released by China's Xinhua News Agency, China's astronauts Jing Haipeng, center, Liu Wang, left, and Liu Yang sit inside the Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft while conducting docking with the Tiangong-1 space lab module Monday afternoon, June 18, 2012, 343 kilometers (213 miles) above Earth. (AP Photo/Beijing Aerospace Control Center via Xinhua) NO SALES (credit:AP)
(03 of11)
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In this image made off the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing and released by China's Xinhua News Agency, China's Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft, left, conducts docking with the Tiangong-1 space lab module shortly after 2 p.m. Beijing time (0600 GMT) on Monday, June 18, 2012, 343 kilometers (213 miles) above Earth. (AP Photo/Beijing Aerospace Control Center via Xinhua) NO SALES (credit:AP)
(04 of11)
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In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, the Long March-2F carrier rocket carrying China's manned Shenzhou-9 spacecraft blasts off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province, Saturday, June 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Li Gang) NO SALES (credit:AP)
(05 of11)
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China's first female astronaut Liu Yang salutes during a sending off ceremony as she departs for the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft rocket launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, China, Saturday, June 16, 2012. China will send its first woman and two other astronauts into space Saturday to work on a temporary space station for about a week, in a key step toward becoming only the third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (credit:AP)
(06 of11)
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China's astronauts from left Liu Yang, Jing Haipeng and Liu Wang salute before they depart for the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft rocket launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, China, Saturday, June 16, 2012. China will send its first woman and two other astronauts into space Saturday to work on a temporary space station for about a week, in a key step toward becoming only the third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (credit:AP)
(07 of11)
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China's first female astronaut Liu Yang, waves during a sending off ceremony as she departs for the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft rocket launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, China, Saturday, June 16, 2012. China will send its first woman and two other astronauts into space Saturday to work on a temporary space station for about a week, in a key step toward becoming only the third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (credit:AP)
(08 of11)
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Liu Yang, China's first woman astronaut waves as she leaves after attending a meet the press event at the Jiuquan satellite launch center near Jiuquan in western China's Gansu province, Friday, June 15, 2012. Liu Yang, a 34-year-old mother of one and air force pilot, along with two male astronauts, will be launched Saturday in the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft that will dock with the bus-sized Tiangong 1 space module now orbiting 322 kilometers (200 miles) above the Earth.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (credit:AP)
(09 of11)
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The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft rocket lifts off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, China, Saturday, June 16, 2012. China sends its first woman and two other astronauts into space Saturday to work on a temporary space station for about a week, in a key step toward becoming only the third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (credit:AP)
(10 of11)
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The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft rocket lifts off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, China, Saturday, June 16, 2012. China sends its first woman and two other astronauts into space Saturday to work on a temporary space station for about a week, in a key step toward becoming only the third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (credit:AP)
(11 of11)
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In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, the Long March-2F carrier rocket carrying China's manned Shenzhou-9 spacecraft blasts off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province, Saturday, June 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Li Gang) NO SALES (credit:AP)
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