China has successfully launched its second manned spacecraft, carrying two Chinese astronauts into orbit. Here are some of the images of that day.
As China prepared to launch its second manned space mission on Wednesday,
there was a sense of growing anticipation.
Millions of people gathered around their televisions or special giant screens
to watch a live broadcast of the spacecraft's launch.
The two astronauts, chosen after a rigorous selection process, waved to the
cameras before they walked to the launch tower.
The Shenzhou VI mission launched on a Long March II F rocket at 0900 (0100GMT)
from Jiuquan in the Gobi Desert, almost two years after China's first manned
mission in Shenzhou V.
It will be in orbit for five days, giving the astronauts time to carry out
a series of experiments before landing in a remote region of Inner Mongolia.
(AP/AFP images)
The specially selected crowd watched with pride as Shenzhou VI successfully
blasted into space.
Many Chinese see their nation's space programme as a symbol of its emergence
as a world power.
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