It carried two astronauts this time, one more than China's first manned flight in 2003.

NPR: China Launches Manned Spacecraft

After a series of unmanned flights, Musk expects that the first manned flight should head towards the ISS within 3 years.

FORBES: Move up http://i.forbesimg.com t Move down

So Russia has since turned its focus on China, which made its first successful manned flight in 2003 aboard the Shenzhou spacecraft and plans to put a capsule on the moon in 2013.

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That trip usually takes about two days, but after tests with three previous cargo vessels, the trip was made for the first time with a manned flight and set a new record.

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It completed the first commercial flight in October and is vying for a contract for manned flights into orbit alongside Boeing and Sierra Nevada.

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