China launches spacecraft

Countdown to the launch of a Long March rocket from northwest China on Tuesday.
The rocket lifted the unmanned Shenzhou 8 spacecraft into an initial orbit 200 kilometres above Earth.
Within two days the spacecraft will join the Tiangong 1 module around 340 kilometres above Earth for a docking exercise.
The rendezvous and docking exercises are important steps in China's efforts to run a full space lab.
Officials in the Aerospace Control Centre applaud as the craft's solar panels unfurl.
(SOUNDBITE) (Chinese) CHANG WANQUAN, DIRECTOR OF THE PLA GENERAL ARMAMENTS DEPARTMENT:
"According to the report by the Beijing Aerospace Control Center, Shenzhou 8 has entered the designated orbit. I now declare the launch of Shenzhou-8 spacecraft a complete success."
While the United States and Russia are scaling back their space programmes, China plans to launch two similar docking exercises next year - at least one of which will be manned - and aims to have a fully fledged space station by around 2020.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.