China launches 3 astronauts to Tiangong space station

Tags: Science and Technology International News

In China, three astronauts, including a civilian, were launched to the Tiangong Space Station on Shenzhou-16 on 30 May.

An overview of the news

• The civilian, Professor Gui Haichao of Beihang University, was the first to be placed in orbit in space.

• This is the first mission for Shenzhou-16 Tiangong since it entered the application and development phase.

• Tiangong is the crown jewel of China's space program, which has also landed robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon. The launch was a complete success and the astronauts are in good condition.

• The Shenzhou-16 crew was launched aboard a Long March 2F rocket at 9:31 a.m. local time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

• China's first manned space mission in 2003 made it the third country after the Soviet Union and the United States to send a man into space from its own resources.