China sent 3 new astronauts to complete the space station

The Chinese astronaut aboard the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft departed at 10:44 am on June 5, local time. The spacecraft carrying three astronauts to the Chinese space station was launched by a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia.

The Shenzhou 14 crew will live and work at the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong Space Station for six months before returning to Earth in December. The crew includes Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe, according to the report. Global Times.

Astronaut Chen Dong is the mission commander. He participated in China’s Shenzhou 11 manned space mission in 2016 and previously held the record for the longest time in space by a Chinese astronaut. Meanwhile, Liu Yang became the first Chinese woman to go to space in 2012 during the Shenzhou 9 mission. This is astronaut Cai Xuzhe’s first mission in space.

Shenzhou 14 is the third crewed mission during construction Thien Cung space station. China plans to put this space station into operation in December 2022. The first crewed mission to build the space station with a duration of 3 months was completed in September 2021. The second mission, Shenzhou 13, recorded three astronauts spending six months in space for the first time.

Six months in space is the standard mission deadline for many countries – but it is an important opportunity for Chinese astronauts to get used to their long stay in space and to help prepare future astronauts. hybrid in the same activity.

Six space missions have been planned by China before the end of the year, including another with a crew, two laboratory modules and two cargo missions.

The team of the Shenzhou 14 mission will help assemble, set up and test two experimental modules Wentian and Mengtian, scheduled to launch from Earth in July and October.

According to the Global Times, the basic structure of the Chinese space station is T-shaped, including the Tianhe core cabin and two laboratory modules, which will be completed during the Shenzhou 14 mission. astronaut of this mission will meet the crew of the Shenzhou 15 mission to be launched later this year before leaving the space station to return to Earth.