China successfully launched the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft.

This morning, October 17th, China successfully launched the Shenzhou 11 manned spacecraft, carrying two astronauts, Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, into space.

Shenzhou 11 spacecraft lifted off on the morning of October 17 - Photo: XINHUA

According to the BBC, Shenzhou 11 was launched by a Long March rocket at 7:30 a.m. local time from the Jiuquan Space Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, northwestern China.

The two astronauts are Jing Haipeng, 49, and Chen Dong, 37, with Jing Haipeng as the pilot.

The Shenzhou 11 spacecraft will dock with the Tiangong 2 space station, which China launched into space last month. Two astronauts will then work on Tiangong 2 for 30 days – the longest manned space mission in Chinese history.

According to Xinhua News Agency, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message on the successful launch.

The launch of Shenzhou 11 is part of China's larger plan to put a permanently manned space station into orbit by 2022.

Earlier in 2013, the country sent three astronauts into orbit and docked with the Tiangong-1 space laboratory. This laboratory ceased operations earlier this year.

The Chinese space agency confirmed that Tiangong 1 would fall to Earth sometime in late 2017, but they were unsure if they could control the station's burn-up.

The Shenzhou 11 spacecraft was launched this morning - Photo: XINHUA

The Shenzhou 11 spacecraft was launched this morning - Photo: XINHUA

Astronauts Jing Haipeng (right) and Chen Dong bid farewell before boarding the spacecraft - Photo: Reuters

According to Tuoi Tre newspaper