China successfully launched the Shenzhou-23 crew mission to its Tiangong space station on Tuesday, sending three astronauts for a six-month stay. The spacecraft lifted off atop a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert at 10:44 a.m. local time (0244 GMT).
Mission Objectives
The Shenzhou-23 crew will conduct a series of experiments in life sciences, materials science, and space medicine, as well as perform maintenance tasks outside the station. They will also test technologies for future deep-space exploration.
Crew Details
The crew consists of mission commander Major General Zhai Zhigang, a veteran of the Shenzhou-7 mission, and two newcomers: Senior Colonel Wang Yaping, who will become the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk, and Lieutenant Colonel Ye Guangfu. Wang Yaping previously flew on Shenzhou-10 in 2013.
The launch marks another milestone in China's ambitious space program, which aims to complete the Tiangong space station by the end of 2022. The station is expected to operate for at least 10 years.
- The Shenzhou-23 mission is the fourth crewed mission to the Tiangong space station.
- China plans to launch the Wentian and Mengtian laboratory modules later this year to complete the station's construction.
- The crew will return to Earth in April 2022.
