China launches Shenzhou 19 spacecraft, sending third generation of astronauts into space

China launched Shenzhou 19, sending the third generation of astronauts into space.

China launched the Shenzhou 19 spacecraft on October 30, carrying three astronauts into low Earth orbit. This is the country's 14th manned space flight project, where dozens of scientific experiments are expected to be carried out.

According to Reuters, the latest Shenzhou-19 mission will be commanded by Cai Xuzhe, who participated in Shenzhou-14 in June 2022. The other two crew members, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, are young astronauts born in 1990 and are on their first space mission. Both are from China's third-generation astronaut group.

Wang is currently China's only female astronaut engineer and will be the third female Chinese citizen to be sent into space.

Of China's 14 manned spaceflight projects, half were visits to the country's self-built Tiangong space station.

The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft, which will be launched on a Long March-2F carrier rocket, is expected to return in late April or early May 2025, said Lin Xiqiang, a spokesman for the China Manned Space Administration.

According to the launch center's meteorological department, the launch time frame was decided based on weather forecasts for the launch site and surrounding areas, real-time weather data analysis, and taking advantage of low temperatures early in the morning at the launch site.

Mr. Lam said the Shenzhou-19 crew will take over command of the Tiangong space station from the Shenzhou-18 crew, which is currently in orbit and is expected to return to Earth on November 4.

Phuong Anh (Source: Reuters)

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