China has launched three astronauts, or taikonauts, into space to head to the Chinese Tiangong space station to replace the existing crew onboard.
With the global space race in full swing, countries like the United States, India, and Russia are quickly advancing in space exploration and moving forward with further space or moon missions. Like their rivals, China is also planning an ambitious venture to Mars.
“As evaluated and decided by the mission headquarters, the Shenzhou-20 spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 20:59 on April 25 Beijing Time,” Lin Xiqiang, Deputy Director of the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), said at a press conference at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, confirming the launch of Shenzhou-20.
The Shenzhou 20 spaceship launched at China’s workhorse Long March 2F rocket at 5:17 p.m. local time (0917 GMT) with lift off at the center in Jiuquan, just outside of the Gobi Desert. The astronauts’ arrival is expected to take 6.5 hours to reach the craft after the initial launch period.
Astronauts Chen Zhongrui, Chen Dong, and Wang Jie were seen waving as they attended a ceremony before boarding the craft. The three taikonauts were selected in February and, as tradition, were announced the day before the launch.
The Shenzhou 20 mission, led by Chen Dong, was his third trip in orbit. Dong previously commanded the Shenzhou-11 and Shenzhou-14 missions and has spent 214 days in space to date He will be alongside first-time astronauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, will be in space a total of six-month. The crew will conduct medical and technology experiments, perform spacewalks, and install new equipment.
China’s Tiangong, or “Heavenly Palace,” space station has made China a key competing player in the space race. Built internally by China, the craft was designed after being excluded from the International Space Station due to U.S. security concerns.
Since then, China has become a fast contender and has been showcasing its aerospace engineering ever since the countries parted ways in their cooperative space efforts. Today, China’s space program is run by the People’s Liberation Army, which is part of the ruling Communist Party. Since launching its first astronaut in 2003, China’s space program has quickly advanced, landing a rover on Mars and the far side of the moon, with plans to land a person on the moon by 2030.
The addition of mechanical arms to the Tiangong station has raised concerns that China could use them to disable satellites or space vehicles in a crisis. Since then, political relations between the US and China have been heating up, especially since the Trump Administration took office on January 20.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has also announced that taikonauts from its fourth batch chosen will begin flying next year. Following a February agreement with Pakistan to collaborate on human spaceflight, two Pakistani astronauts will start training for their mission to Tiangong as payload specialists. The protocol is to undergo a three-stage screening process, with final selections made in China. One of them will become the first foreign national to visit the Chinese space station.
Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on The Debrief’s YouTube Channel on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com.