China has successfully launched the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, sending three astronauts to its orbiting space station for a six-month mission.
The spacecraft lifted off at 5:17 p.m. Beijing Time (0917 GMT) on Thursday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket. After about ten minutes, Shenzhou-20 separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit. The astronauts, also known as taikonauts, are reported to be in good health, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the space station using fast automated rendezvous procedures. Upon arrival, the Shenzhou-20 crew will rotate with the three-member Shenzhou-19 team currently aboard the station.
During their time in space, the new crew will conduct experiments related to life in space, microgravity physics, and emerging space technologies. They are also set to perform multiple spacewalks to install protective systems against space debris and to manage equipment on the exterior of the station.
The Shenzhou-20 mission marks the fifth crewed mission in the application phase of China’s manned space program and the 35th launch of the program overall. Notably, this mission is the 571st launch of the Long March rocket series and the 20th mission for the Shenzhou spacecraft series.
To date, China has sent 26 astronauts into space, demonstrating significant progress in its space exploration efforts.
