China sends first female astronaut into space

16/06/12 09:02 CET

world news

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China is sending its first woman into space today.

Fighter pilot Liu Yang, 33, will join two other astronauts aboard the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft when it lifts off from the Gobi Desert.

It is set to dock with the Tiangong 1 module as China prepares to put a permanent space station in orbit within the decade.

More about: China, Space mission

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