China's Shenzhou-21 astronauts blast off for space station | AFP

The Long March-2F rocket carrying three astronauts to the Tiangong space station lifts off at 11:44 pm (1544 GMT) from the remote Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The Shenzhou-21 mission crew includes the country's youngest ever astronaut and four lab mice. China has bold plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by the end of the decade and eventually to build a base on the lunar surface. Interested in licensing this video ? Get in touch 👉 http://u.afp.com/wvnD N.B.: AFP’s services and content are for professional use only