China sends next team of astronauts to new space station

who – which Next Astronaut Team Depart for the Chinese space station under construction. The trio began their mission on Sunday aboard the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft from Jiuquan Cosmodrome in the northwest of the People’s Republic of China.

The Long March 2F rocket flew them into space, as shown on a live broadcast by Chinese state television. This is the third crew that will live in the base unit of the future space station.

At the beginning of May, a cargo flight had already brought equipment and supplies into space in preparation for the mission. During the astronauts’ stay, two more modules will be sent into space and attached in July and October.

Another manned flight is scheduled, possibly in December. Then six astronauts must temporarily remain on the space station. The T-shaped plant, which will weigh 66 tons, will be completed and regular start-up. The space station called “Tiangong” (Heavenly Palace) supports China’s ambitions to become a space power and catch up with major space-faring nations such as the United States of America and Russia.