China has sent its first woman into space on a mission to dock with an orbiting station, the latest step in an ambitious programme to go to the moon and on to Mars.

Photo: China's first female astronaut Liu Yang, waves during a sending off ceremony before 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. (Photo by Ng Han Guan/AP Photo)

“A small British company with a dream of building a re-usable space plane has won an important endorsement from the European Space Agency (ESA) after completing key tests on its novel engine technology. Reaction Engines Ltd believes its Sabre engine, which would operate like a jet engine in the atmosphere and a rocket in space, could displace rockets for space access and transform air travel by bringing any destination on Earth to no more than four hours away”. – Chris Wickham via Reuters. Photo: Artist's impression of Skylon. (Photo by Reaction Engines Ltd)

25-year-old Masayoshi Matsumoto is a Japanese artist that creates incredible animals out of balloons. From birds to insects, the artist’s designs can involve dozens of variously sized balloons in an assortment of shapes. For more be sure to check out his creative artworks at the links below.

Pickles the cat was once abandoned and had a hard time finding a home because of his size until he met a couple who have a heart and home big enough to take him in.

Tiny Irons attends the UK Film Premiere of Anuvahood at Empire Leicester Square on March 15, 2011 in London, England.

One of ten little spotted kiwi is released on Motuihe Island, a conservation pest-free island close to Auckland, on March 21, 2009 in Auckland, New Zealand. Eventually up to 40 endangered kiwi birds will be relocated to the island. (Photo by Hannah Johnston/Getty Images)

A tanker airplane drops fire retardant on a wildfire on September 1, 2011 in Graford, Texas. More than 6,500 acres and more than 45 homes in the area have burned since Tuesday as wildfires sweep through parts of Texas and Oklahoma. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Sumo wrestler Kaiho eats a “chanko” meal in Nagoya, Japan on July 18, 2017. After ending practice at 10:30 a.m., the wrestlers mingle with fans, sign autographs and pose for photos before the first of their two daily meals. (Photo by Issei Kato/Reuters)