China's first manned space mission enters orbit

China launched its first manned space mission today, sending an astronaut hurtling into orbit and becoming the third country in Earth’s history to do so - four decades after the Soviet Union and the US.

With a column of smoke, the Shenzhou 5 craft cut across a bright, azure north west China sky at exactly 9am local time (2am Irish time). The official Xinhua News Agency immediately confirmed the launch and said the astronaut was air force Lieutenant Colonel Yang Liwei, 38.