China launches 3
JIUQUAN SATELLITE LAUNCH CENTER, China (AP) — China launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station on Thursday as part of its ambitious program that aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030.
The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China atop a Long March 2-F rocket at 8:59 p.m. (1259 GMT).
The spacecraft’s three-member crew will relieve the Shenzhou-17 team, which has been staffing China’s Tiangong space station since last October.
The China Manned Space Agency, or CMSA, held a send-off ceremony — complete with flag-waving children and patriotic music — for the Shenzhou-18 crew earlier on Thursday, as the three astronauts prepared to enter the spacecraft.
The trio is made of Commander Ye Guangfu, 43, a veteran astronaut who took part in the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021, and fighter pilots Li Cong, 34, and Li Guangsu, 36, who are spaceflight rookies.
Related articles
Firefighters fully contain southern New Jersey forest fire that burned hundreds of acres
WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — Firefighters have completely contained a forest fire that burned sev2024-04-26InPics: New Year Fair Adds Happiness on Guizhou's 'Slow Trains'
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-04-26China Focus: Postgraduate Admission Exam Proceeds with New COVID
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-04-26- Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-04-26
Noah Cyrus flashes her bottom in extremely low
Noah Cyrus shared a slew of racy snaps to social media on Tuesday amid her ongoing family feud. The2024-04-26China Actively Optimizes COVID
Contact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom2024-04-26
atest comment