Three-person crew blasts off for China’s Tiangong space station

China’s Space Program: A Dream Takes Off

Mission to the Tiangong Space Station

JIUQUAN, China: Three Chinese astronauts, including the country’s only woman spaceflight engineer, blasted off on a "dream" mission to the Tiangong space station in the early hours of Wednesday. The new Tiangong team will carry out experiments with an eye to the space programme’s ambitious goal of placing astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and eventually constructing a lunar base.

The Shenzhou-19 Mission

The Shenzhou-19 mission took off with its trio of space explorers at 4:27 am (2027 GMT Tuesday) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, state news agency Xinhua and state broadcaster CCTV reported. Among the crew is Wang Haoze, 34, China’s only woman spaceflight engineer, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). She is the third Chinese woman to take part in a crewed mission.

"Like everyone else, I dream of going to the space station to have a look," Wang said. "I want to meticulously complete each task and protect our home in space. I also want to travel in deep space and wave at the stars."

"Honour of my Mission"

Headed by Cai Xuzhe, the team will return to Earth in late April or early May next year, CMSA Deputy Director Lin Xiqiang said at a separate press event ahead of the launch. Cai, a 48-year-old former air force pilot, brings experience from a previous stint aboard Tiangong as part of the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022.

Crew Preparations

The aerospace veteran added that the crew was now "fully prepared mentally, technically, physically and psychologically" for the mission ahead. Completing the astronaut lineup is 34-year-old Song Lingdong.

"China’s Space Dream"

China has ramped up plans to achieve its "space dream" under President Xi Jinping. Its space programme was the third to put humans in orbit and has also landed robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon. Crewed by teams of three astronauts that are rotated every six months, the Tiangong space station is the programme’s crown jewel.

Lunar Base Construction

Beijing says it is on track to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030, where it intends to construct a base on the lunar surface. The Shenzhou-19 crew’s time aboard Tiangong will see them carry out various experiments, including some involving "bricks" made from components imitating lunar soil, CCTV reported. These items — to be delivered to Tiangong by the Tianzhou-8 cargo ship in November — will be tested to see how they fare in extreme radiation, gravity, temperature and other conditions.

Conclusion

The Shenzhou-19 mission is primarily about "accumulating additional experience," Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in the United States, said. While this particular crew’s six-month stint aboard Tiangong may not witness major breakthroughs or feats, it is still "very valuable to do."

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the objective of the Shenzhou-19 mission?
   The Shenzhou-19 mission aims to carry out experiments on the Tiangong space station, with a focus on China’s ambitious goal of placing astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and eventually constructing a lunar base.
2. Who is part of the Shenzhou-19 crew?
   The crew consists of three astronauts, including Wang Haoze, China’s only woman spaceflight engineer, Cai Xuzhe, and Song Lingdong.
3. What will the Shenzhou-19 crew do during their six-month stint on the Tiangong space station?
   The crew will carry out various experiments, including some involving "bricks" made from components imitating lunar soil, which will be tested in extreme radiation, gravity, temperature, and other conditions.
4. What is China’s space programme’s ultimate goal?
   China aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030, where it intends to construct a base on the lunar surface, with the ultimate goal of establishing a permanent human presence in space.
5. What is the significance of the Shenzhou-19 mission?
   The Shenzhou-19 mission is significant as it marks another milestone in China’s space programme, with the country pushing forward with its ambitious plans to explore space and establish a permanent human presence on the Moon.