China says it’s ready to launch the next crew to its orbiting space station early Wednesday

Newsweek

China to Launch New Crew in Shenzhou-19 to Its Space Station

Independent

China all set to launch new crew to its orbiting space station

China Wednesday successfully launched its six-month Shenzhou-19 manned mission carrying its three taikonauts (astronauts) to its Tiangong space station. Its rocket, Long March-2F Y19, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China at 4.27am Beijing time.

Global Times

South China Morning Post

China called the Shenzhou 19 launch a "complete success." The crew includes its first female space engineer Wang Haoze, alongside pilot Cai Xuzhe and fellow rookie Song Lingdong, a former air force pilot. Chinese state media said this is China's “youngest crew” to go to space.

BBC News

Space.com

Thirty-four-year-old Wang is reportedly an expert in nuclear-powered rocket technology, unlike China's first two female astronauts, Liu Yang and Wang Yaping, who were air force pilots. She said she wanted to "meticulously complete each task and protect our home in space."

Dw.Com

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced that the crew had entered the space station and begun the handover process with another astronaut trio. The new team's scheduled experiments aim to place astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and eventually setting up a lunar base.

DT next

Thesun.My

Their 86 experiments will reportedly include testing lunar-soil bricks in space's high-radiation, low-gravity conditions and those in the fields of space life sciences and new technologies. This is besides public outreach, education, and payload experiments to improve efficiency.

The Shenzhou 18 crew, which reached Tiangong in April, is set to return to Earth on Nov. 3. China built its space station — the only one belonging to any country — on reportedly being excluded from the International Space Station over the military control of its space program.

China Launches New Crew to Space Station

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