China launches Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship for space station mission

China's Shenzhou-19 manned spacecraft was successfully launched atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket at 4:27 a.m. on Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

About 10 minutes after the launch, the spacecraft separated from the rocket and entered the predetermined orbit. The Shenzhou-19 crew are in sound condition.

"The launch of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship is a complete success," announced the China Manned Space Agency.

In about 6.5 hours after the launch, the spaceship will conduct a fast automated rendezvous and dock with the front port of Tianhe, the core module of China Space Station, forming a combination of three modules and three spacecraft.

The three taikonauts on board, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, will then enter the core module to meet with the Shenzhou-18 trio. They will complete an in-orbit rotation with their fellows and stay at the space station for about six months. During the mission, they will see the arrival of the Tianzhou-8 cargo craft and Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship.

Shenzhou-19 mission commander Cai took part in the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022. It will be the first space mission for taikonauts Song and Wang.

Wang previously served as a senior engineer at the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. She is currently China's only female spaceflight engineer and the third Chinese woman embarking on a crewed spaceflight mission. Song is a former air force pilot.

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The taikonauts will conduct space science and application tests, perform extravehicular activities, install protective devices against space debris, and install and recycle extravehicular payloads and equipment. They will also take part in science education, public welfare activities, and other payload tests.

A total of 86 space science research and technological experiments will be carried out, covering fields of space life science, microgravity basic physics, space materials science, space medicine and new space technology.

They are scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in late April or early May 2025.

The Shenzhou-19 mission marks the fourth crewed mission in the application and development phase of China's space station and the 33rd mission of the country's manned space program.

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