BEIJING — China has successfully launched a three-person crew, carrying the country's third female astronaut, to the Tiangong space station for a six-month mission.
The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft lifted off atop a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China at 4.27am Beijing time on Wednesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Wang Haoze, 34, is an expert in nuclear-powered rocket technology and was joined by two male colleagues about the spacecraft, which is slated to perform an autonomous rendezvous and docking with Tiangong about five hours and 30 minutes after launch.
Unlike Liu Yang and Wang Yaping - the first two Chinese female astronauts, both trained as air force pilots - Wang's research background is expected to enhance the crew's implementation of a total of 86 experiments and tests during their time in orbit.
In a video released on Chinese social-media platform Weibo, Wang, a space-flight engineer, explained she has been involved in the design and development of unconventional rocket engines aimed at future deep-space missions.
Having been selected as an astronaut in 2020, Wang noted: "Every day was new to me as I didn't know what to expect during training. I enjoyed this process a lot."
"I'm lucky to be an astronaut," she said at a pre-launch press conference on Tuesday. "I'm even happier to align my personal values with my country's needs."
Wang will primarily oversee space experiments, cargo management and space-station operations.
Joining Wang are Song Lingdong, also 34 and on his first space flight after a career as an air force pilot, and mission commander Cai Xuzhe, a veteran astronaut who previously flew on the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022.
Aside from conducting scientific experiments, the crew will carry out spacewalks, install protective devices against space debris and set up external payloads and equipment, according to CMSA spokesperson Lin Xiqiang.
Shenzhou-19 marks the fourth crewed mission since the completion of the three-module, T-shaped Tiangong space station two years ago.
Designed for a 10-year operational lifespan, the space station could be expanded, including a fourth module to create a cross-shaped station and developing the reusable Mengzhou spacecraft, according to Li Ming of the China Academy of Space Technology in remarks earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the International Space Station (ISS) - roughly five times the mass of Tiangong and the largest human structure in space - has operated in low-Earth orbit for 25 years. It has hosted more than 270 astronauts and thousands of experiments.
The ISS is scheduled for decommissioning at the end of 2030, with a planned deorbit by a vehicle from Texas-based SpaceX to ensure its safe descent and disposal in the Pacific Ocean.