On this day, 10 January, 2001, China sent Shenzhou-II, the unmanned spacecraft, into space, onboard a Long March-2F rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu.
The mission was to carry out scientific experiments and assess its onboard life support mechanisms. The spacecraft flew around the Earth’s orbit for 108 times, flew in the space for nearly 7 days, and completed the preset scientific and technical tests.
