China launches mission for first spacewalk

China successfully launched a three-man crew into space Thursday to carry out the country's first spacewalk, beginning the nation's most challenging space mission since it first sent a person into space in 2003.

The Shenzhou 7 spacecraft, China's third manned mission, blasted off atop a Long March 2F rocket shortly after 9:00 a.m. EDT under clear night skies in northwestern China.

The spacewalk by one of the astronauts is expected to take place either on Friday or Saturday.

Read full story at The Associated Press.