China, on the other hand, has a relatively mature human spaceflight program that is nearly a decade old.

CNN: China's giant, quiet step in space

China is the only other entity besides the U.S. and Russia with a human spaceflight capability.

CNN: Make China our new partner in space

Mr Jing, 46, is making his second spaceflight after participating in the Shenzhou-7 outing in 2008 - the mission that included China's first spacewalk.

BBC: China launches space mission with first woman astronaut