China sends three astronauts into orbit, one to spend a record-breaking year at the station
Kyiv • UNN
China launched the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft with three astronauts to the Tiangong station. One of the crew members will spend an entire year in orbit for the first time in the country's history.
China launched the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft to the Tiangong space station on Sunday. One of the three astronauts is expected to spend about a year in orbit, which will be a record mission duration for China. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
Details
The launch took place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwest of the country using a Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket. The crew includes commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Yuanzhi, and payload specialist Li Jiaying – the first astronaut from Hong Kong to participate in a Chinese space mission.
China prepares for human moon landing
The China Manned Space Agency stated that one of the crew members will remain on the Tiangong station for a year to study the effects of long-term human presence in space. The final decision regarding this astronaut will be made later depending on the progress of the mission.
The launch took place against the backdrop of intensifying space rivalry between China and the United States. Beijing continues to implement its program to land a Chinese astronaut on the Moon by 2030, while Washington expresses concern over China's intentions regarding the future exploration and use of the Earth's satellite resources.