China sent three astronauts to the Tiangong space station as part of the Shenzhou-19 mission

China’s next manned space mission is already on its way to orbit.

A Long March 2F The rocket, topped by the Shenzhou 19 crewed spacecraft, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center today (Oct. 19) at 4:27 p.m. Eastern Time (2027 GMT; 4:27 a.m. Oct. 30 Beijing Time), rising into the night sky above the cosmodrome.

On board is 48-year-old commander Cai Xiuzhe, who was a member Shenzhou Mission 14and rookie astronauts Song Lindong, 34, a former Air Force pilot, and Wang Haoze, also 34, an aerospace engineer.

Shenzhou 19 should rendezvous and dock at the port. Tiangong Space Station approximately 6.5 hours after launch. The trio of astronauts are set to spend six months in orbit aboard Tiangong, conducting a series of experiments and embarking on a series of spacewalks. spacewalks.

Connected: Chinese Tiangong Space Station: A Complete Guide

Mission commander Tsai has already spent 182 days in space, conducting spacewalks, and will lead his junior colleagues.

“Two of my new teammates were born in the 1990s. Although there is an age difference between us, we have the same goal: to serve our country and win honor for it by working and striving together,” Tsai said during a press conference a day before the launch.

“During the mission, we will carry out difficult tasks of space science experiments and space station management. I have primary responsibility for space experiment projects, materials management and station operation,” Wang said at a press conference. “I believe that under the leadership of the mission commander and with close cooperation between us and the ground team, we will successfully complete the mission,” she said.

“We have a lot of spacewalks and new science experiments ahead of us,” Sun said. Activities will include the installation of protective devices against space debrisand the installation and disposal of extravehicular payloads and equipment.

three astronauts in overalls raise their right arms, bent at the elbows, standing behind white-capped stands in front of a large Chinese flag.

Chinese astronauts Wang Haoze, Cai Xiuzhe and Song Lingdong, who will carry out the Shenzhou 19 manned spaceflight, meet with the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 29, 2024 in Alha League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. (Image credit: VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Lin Siqiang, a spokesman for the China Manned Spaceflight Agency CMSA, said the astronauts will conduct 86 scientific experiments.

“The Shenzhou 19 flight will focus on the planned theme of “biological and physical sciences in space,” covering areas such as space life science, fundamental physics microgravityspace materials science, space medicine and new space technology” These include structural analysis of protein crystal growth and nonequilibrium dynamics of soft matter in microgravity.

Shenzhou 19 is the 33rd spaceflight of China’s human spaceflight program. These missions include uncrewed test flights, crewed missions, launches of Tiangong modules and smaller space laboratory precursor missions, test flights of the next generation of crewed spacecraft, and cargo resupply and refueling missions to Tianzhou.

China is also preparing to send the Tianzhou 8 cargo spacecraft to Tiangong to resupply and refuel the station. He will also conduct new experiments and possibly cubesats for launch into orbit. The mission will be launched on a Long March 7 rocket from the coastal Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in November.

Meanwhile, the current president Shenzhou 18 The crew aboard the Tiangong prepares to depart. The trio of Ye Guangfu, Li Kong and Li Guangsu, who arrived at Tiangong in late April, would hand over control of the space station to Cai, Song and Wang. Ye and his colleagues will return to Earth around 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 3 (5:00 p.m. GMT; or 1:00 a.m. Beijing Time on Nov. 4) landed at the Dongfeng landing zone near Jiuquan.

Shenzhou 19 is China’s eighth manned flight to the Tiangong space station. The three-module T-shaped orbital post was built using three Long March 5B will be released in 2021 and 2022.

China intends to retain Tiangong, which is about 20% smaller in size than China. International Space Stationpermanently occupied and active for at least ten years. The country also wants expand the space station new modules and open an outpost to commercial activity.

China sent three astronauts to the Tiangong space station as part of the Shenzhou-19 mission

Archives

Categories