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    China's launch of the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft on Saturday made history in two big ways.

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    First, China's first woman astronaut blasted into space. Liu Yang is a 34-year-old air-force pilot and mother of one. Here she sits behind a glass enclosure at the launch center, which is located near the Gobi Desert.

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    Second, Liu Yang and two other astronauts plan to work on a temporary space station for about a week. Their spacecraft successfully docked with the station Monday. That makes this mission a key step toward China becoming only the third nation to set up a permanent base in orbit.

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    The launch generated big excitement in China. A child looks out at the rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, China.

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    Liu Yang waves as she departs for the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft rocket-launch pad.

    As the Los Angeles Times pointed out, the U.S. Congress voted to exclude the Chinese from the International Space Station, citing concerns about technology transfers. "The Chinese have said they will build their own smaller station -- about 60 tons -- by 2020, the same year that funding for the International Space Station expires," the newspaper reported.

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    Blast off.

    China has big plans for further space exploration, including trips to the moon and the launch of commercial satellites.

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    Spectators turned out to watch.

    Meanwhile,  observers are impressed by how rapidly China's space program is developing. Jeff Kueter, president of the George C. Marshall Institute, told The New York Times, "It is the speed with which China is ticking off these boxes in developing their program that is interesting."

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    Next: Mind-Blowing New Photos from Space

    Liu Yang waves after attending a meet-the-press event at the launch center on Friday, June 15. 

    The United States launched Sally Ride, its first woman astronaut, into space in 1983.