Beijing: China successfully launched the Shenzhou 20 crewed mission to its Tiangong space station on Wednesday, marking another key step in its rapidly advancing space program.
A Long March 2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 5:17 a.m. EDT (0917 GMT / 5:17 p.m. Beijing time).
The mission includes veteran astronaut Chen Dong, embarking on his third spaceflight, alongside first-time astronauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, both selected in China’s 2020 astronaut intake.
Shenzhou 20 is set to dock with the Tiangong space station approximately 6.5 hours after launch. Once aboard, the new crew will take over from the Shenzhou 19 team, led by commander Cai Xuzhe, in a formal handover of station operations.
The Shenzhou 20 crew will spend the next six months conducting scientific experiments, station maintenance, and other critical tasks as part of China’s long-term ambitions for a permanent space presence.
