China launches its youngest astronauts to homegrown space station
China has launched three astronauts into space on a six-month mission to its Tiangong space station. The Shenzhou-19 spaceship launched at 4:27am (local time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia, Gansu province, aboard a Long March-2F rocket. It has now successfully docked with the Tiangong space station after a journey of more than six hours. This is China's 14th crewed space mission and showcases its growing prowess in space exploration and research.
Meet the crew of Shenzhou-19
The Shenzhou-19 crew includes Commander Cai Xuzhe, 48, previously sent on Shenzhou-14 mission. The team also includes two rookie astronauts- Song Lingdong, 34, a former air force pilot, and Wang Haoze, 34, a spaceflight engineer. Wang is China's third female astronaut to embark on a crewed spaceflight mission, following Liu Yang and Wang Yaping. Notably, she is the country's only female spaceflight engineer at present. Song and Wang are the youngest crew members China has ever sent to space.
Shenzhou-19 crew's mission
The Shenzhou-19 crew will take over from the current team of Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu from the Shenzhou-18 mission. Ye and his colleagues are set to return on November 4 (1:00am local time), touching down at the Dongfeng landing area near Jiuquan. The new team will conduct 86 scientific experiments in space, focusing on biological and physical sciences. They will install protective devices against space debris, manage station operations, conduct spacewalks, and handle extravehicular payloads and equipment.
China's future plans for Tiangong space station
The Tiangong space station, which is entirely built by China, is expected to be permanently occupied and operational for at least a decade. There are plans to expand it with new modules in the future and open it up for commercial activities. The Shenzhou-19 mission marks the eighth visit to this station.
