China launched its third manned spacecraft on Thursday from the Jiugaun Satellite Launch Center in the Gansu Province with three astronauts aboard to attempt China's first space walk, according to CNN.com.
The men boarded the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft on Thursday night, the Associated Press reported. The space walk is the journey's sole purpose.
Chinese President and Communist party leader Hu Jintao looked on the launch from a town just outside of Jiuquan.
"You will definitely accomplish this glorious and sacred mission. The motherland and the people are looking forward to your triumphant return," Hu told the three men scheduled to make the journey, according to the AP.
This was China's third consecutive successful launch since it first launched a man into space in 2003, according to CNN.com.
-M.M.
