The location is Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China. On Thursday, China successfully deployed a three-member crew to its orbiting space station as part of its ambitious initiative to send astronauts to the moon by 2030.
The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located on the periphery of the Gobi Desert in northern China. It was propelled by a Long March 2-F rocket at precisely 8:59 p.m. (1259 GMT).
China Launches 3-Member Crew To Its Space Station As It Seeks To Put Astronauts On The Moon By 2030
The spacecraft’s three-member crew will replace the Shenzhou-17 team, which has been working aboard China’s Tiangong space station since October last year.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) organized a send-off ceremony for the Shenzhou-18 crew on Thursday. The ceremony included flag-waving youngsters and patriotic music. The three astronauts were getting ready to board the spacecraft.
The trio consists of Commander Ye Guangfu, a seasoned astronaut who participated in the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021, and two novice spaceflight pilots, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, who are 34 and 36 years old.
Their arrival at the space station is anticipated approximately six-and-a-half hours after the launch.
China constructed its own space station after being denied participation in the International Space Station, primarily due to the United States’ apprehensions regarding the Chinese military’s role in the project. For the current year, the Chinese space station has planned two missions for cargo ships and two for manned spaceflights.
China Launches 3-Member Crew To Its Space Station As It Seeks To Put Astronauts On The Moon By 2030
The Shenzhou-18 mission will last approximately six months on the space station. According to Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, the crew will conduct scientific testing, install equipment to protect against space debris, undertake payload experiments, and promote science education, among other activities.
In addition, Lin stated that China is actively striving to eventually grant foreign astronauts and space tourists access to its space station.
“During a press conference on Wednesday, he stated that we will expedite the research and promotion of involving foreign astronauts and space tourists in flights on China’s space station.”
The nation is strategizing a mission to retrieve samples from Mars by approximately 2030, along with three lunar probe missions in the upcoming four years. Additionally, it aims to deploy astronauts on the moon by 2030.
In 2003, China successfully carried out its inaugural crewed space mission, making it the third nation, following the former Soviet Union and the United States, to independently send an astronaut into space.
China Launches 3-Member Crew To Its Space Station As It Seeks To Put Astronauts On The Moon By 2030
Due to its expenditures, supply networks, and capabilities, the U.S. space program will likely maintain a substantial advantage over China’s. Nevertheless, China has made significant advancements in space exploration by successfully retrieving lunar samples after several decades and landing a rover on the relatively unexplored far side of the moon.
The United States has set a goal to return a crew to the moon’s surface by the conclusion of 2025 due to a renewed dedication to manned missions. Private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin will support this endeavor.
SOURCE – (AP)
