China has successfully sent three astronauts into space on a mission to re-staff its orbiting space station. Spectators at the launch site, including staff, families, and members of the public, gathered to witness the rocket’s take-off.
The launch of China’s Shenzhou-20 marks an escalation in the competitive space race between NASA and China to establish moon bases and eventually launch missions to Mars. The three astronauts, referred to as taikonauts in China, waved to enthusiastic crowds at the launch event.
The astronauts for the Shenzhou-20 mission are Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, according to Lin Xiqiang, deputy director general of China Manned Space Agency. They will replace the current crew on the Chinese space station. The launch occurred from Jiuquan, near the Gobi Desert in northwestern China.
The astronauts are expected to stay on the space station for approximately six months. Chen Dong, the team leader, has previous space mission experience, while Chen Zhongrui is an air force pilot and Wang Jie is an engineer with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The mission will involve various activities such as experiments in space medicine, space technology, extravehicular trips, and space station improvements. China established its own space station after being excluded from the International Space Station due to US national security concerns.
China’s space program has seen significant growth, with successful missions to Mars and the far side of the moon. The country aims to land a person on the moon before 2030, with the returning astronauts expected to land on April 29.