China sends three astronauts to rotate crews at Tiangong Space Station

China has successfully launched three astronauts into space as part of the crew replacement mission for China’s Tiangong space station, marking another milestone in the country’s aspirations for manned missions to the moon and Mars.

The Shenzhou 20 spacecraft lifted off as scheduled at 5:17pm (0917 GMT) atop China’s Long March 2F rocket, set to arrive at Tiangong after approximately 6.5 hours.

The rocket launched from a facility near the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, and the spacecraft will remain in space until it returns the current crew back to Earth.

Tiangong, also known as the “Celestial Palace” space station, is a Chinese-built station that positions China as a significant player in space exploration after being excluded from the International Space Station due to US national security concerns. China’s space program is overseen by the People’s Liberation Army, a military branch of the ruling Communist Party.

There are concerns about China’s potential use of technology onboard the space station to interfere with satellites and other spacecraft in times of crisis.

Since sending its first astronauts into space in 2003, China has made significant strides in its space program, becoming the third country to do so. It has also landed explorers on Mars and the far side of the moon, with plans to land humans on the moon by 2030.

The Shenzhou 20 mission is led by astronaut Chen Dong, on his third spaceflight, accompanied by fighter pilot Chen Zonglui and engineer Wang Ji. Unlike previous crews, the Shenzhou 20 mission consists entirely of male astronauts.

The incoming crew will replace the current astronauts on board the Chinese space station, staying onboard for approximately six months, like their predecessors.

Scheduled to reach Tianong after 6.5 hours, the spacecraft was launched into space atop the Chinese Long March 2 rocket at 5:17pm on March 2.

The current crew was sent last October and spent 175 days in space. They are set to return on April 29, following a brief overlap with the incoming crew. Tianong, completed in October 2022, has a capacity of up to six people.

During their mission, the astronauts will conduct medical and technological experiments, perform spacewalks for maintenance tasks, and install new equipment, as announced by the Manned Space Agency.