(ECNS) -- China launched the Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft at 9:22 am (0122 GMT) on Thursday, sending three astronauts, Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo to its space station core module Tianhe.
The following are unforgettable moments of China's manned space missions:
1. First Chinese in space
China's first manned spacecraft Shenzhou-5 was successfully launched on October 15, 2003.
Astronaut Yang Liwei became the first Chinese sent into the vast space by the Chinese space program.
2. China's first spacewalk
China's manned spacecraft Shenzhou-7, carrying astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming, Jing Haipeng, blasted off successfully on September 25, 2008.
Zhai, wearing China's self-developed Feitian EVA spacesuit, became the first Chinese astronaut to walk in space.
3. China's first female astronaut
The Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft blasted off into space carrying Jing Haipeng, Liu Wang and Liu Yang on June 16, 2012, among whom Liu Yang became China's first woman in space.
4. China's first space lecture
China's Shenzhou-10 was launched on June 11, 2013, carrying three astronauts, Nie Haisheng, Zhang Xiaoguang and Wang Yaping.
During the orbit flight, female astronaut Wang Yaping delivered China's first televised science lesson from space to the country's schoolchildren.
