As the Shenzhou V lifted off from the launch pad attached to a Long March II F carrier, a select audience present applauded and cheered loudly, aware China had entered a select club of space powers.

The surrounding area, an arid mountainous landscape in northwest China, is usually one of China's most desolate places, but Wednesday morning it was teeming with life.

While it was still dark, some 1,000 space enthusiasts and journalists had started a dash through icy cold weather along the only road winding towards the launch site in hopes of seeing history in the making.

At least 50 buses and many more cars packed with tourists and Chinese journalists eased out of Jiuquan city for the 200-kilometer (124-mile) trek across the desert to what has been labeled China's "space city".

They did not get as far as they wanted, with roadblocks soon halting their progress among peasant-filled cotton fields.

"Strangers do not have the right to enter," said a police officer as he examined passports some 100 kilometers (62 miles) into the journey.

Nevertheless, after cursory checks of accreditation, police waved the hundreds of sightseers through.

Soon, the huge military airport at Dingxin, said to be the third biggest military airport in Asia, came into view with two massive planes sitting on the tarmac.

Their red and gray colors signalled them to be part of the Communist Party's aircraft fleet and likely used to ferry a host of top leaders, including President Hu Jintao, from Beijing to the launch center.

After another 65 kilometers (40 miles) along the barren road where powerlines peppered the tufts of desert grass, the Chinese army said no further.

But this was far enough, with the spacecraft visible to the naked eye as it powered into orbit with 38-year-old Yang Liwei at the controls.

A huge veil of secrecy has surrounded the launch of Shenzhou V with China's cautious top brass going as far as canceling an expected live broadcast of the event.

This left the official Xinhua news agency and the government mouthpiece People's Daily newspaper as the only media given access to the historic launch.

Once the rocket had taken off the well-oiled propaganda machine sprung into action with the launch being replayed repeatedly to a stirring soundtrack reminiscent of the Stars Wars theme on televisions across the country.

Yang was shown accepting applause and making a speech before entering the capsule as President Hu wished him well, describing the father-of-one as a "warrior" who bore "the heavy trust of the motherland".

"We are waiting for your triumphant return," said Hu, who was later shown donning sunglasses to follow the progress of the rocket as it blasted into orbit.

Yang is expected to land Thursday morning in Inner Mongolia.

SPACE.WIRE