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 videographer uses a drone as he takes a video of a model presenting a lingerie creation at the rehearsal for Eve's Temptation collection during China Fashion Week in Beijing, October 26, 2014. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)

Nermin Halilagic, 38, poses with kitchen utensils in Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, January 23, 2017. Halilagic discovered earlier this year that he had the unusual ability to attach items to his body using what he says is a special energy radiated from his body. (Photo by Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Human like robots and robotic faces that mimic human expressions are displayed at the annual World Robot Conference at the Beijing Etrong International Exhibition and Convention Center in Beijing, Wednesday, August 16, 2023. (Photo by Ng Han Guan/AP Photo)

Audrey Mata from Washington D.C in the U.S. dressed as Princess Leia, comes face to face with a replica of R2-D2 at the 'For The Love of The Force' Star Wars fan convention in Manchester, northern England, December 4, 2015. (Photo by Phil Noble/Reuters)

Hindu women perform a ritual known as Aarti around a Shivling (a symbol of Lord Shiva) on the last day of Jaya Parvati Vrat festival in Ahmedabad, India, July 10, 2017. (Photo by Amit Dave/Reuters)

A dancer attends the final rehearsal for the new “VIVID Grand Show” at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, Germany, September 26, 2018. (Photo by Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters)

The First U.S. Spacewalk – Gemini 4 Ed White made the United States' first spacewalk on June 3, 1965 during the Gemini 4 mission. The extra-vehicular activity (EVA) started at 19:45 UT (3:45 p.m. EDT) on the third orbit when White opened his hatch and used the hand-held manuevering oxygen-jet gun to push himself out of the capsule. (Photo by NASA)