China is building its own space station and it has launched a number of robotic and manned spaceflight missions to continue the construction of the space station which it hoped will help its space research and other important scientific discoveries in the near future.

1. Launch

The lift-off commenced at about 0122GMT in Beijing

2. Earlier before launch

Chinese astronauts Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng, and Liu Boming speak before the launch of the Long March-2F Y12 rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft and the three astronauts, from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for China’s first manned mission to build its space station, near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China June 17, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

3. The rocket launch

The Long March-2F Y12 rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft and three astronauts, takes off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for China’s first manned mission to build its space station, near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China June 17, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

4. It’s pretty big

The Long March-2F Y12 rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft and three astronauts for China’s first manned mission to build its space station, is seen at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China June 17, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

5. People who watched the mission commence

People wave before the launch of the Long March-2F Y12 rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft and the three astronauts, from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for China’s first manned mission to build its space station, near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China June 17, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

6. Fire in the hole!

The Long March-2F Y12 rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft and three astronauts, takes off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for China’s first manned mission to build its space station, near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China June 17, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

7. Watching from a distance

Sights of the rocket can be seen from afar as it prepare to commence on its trip to the low Earth orbit

8. It’s all about the Tianhe space station

This is one of the 11 space missions to complete the construction of the Tianhe space station

9. Pretty fast

Trails of the rocket can be seen as it blasts off the ground

10. China space mission

The three men will make the record as the first Chinese nationals to stay for so long in the under-construction space station