On May 30, 2023, the Shenzhou 16 spacecraft and its carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
Kevin Frere | Getty Images
China launched the Shenzhou 16 spacecraft with three astronauts on Tuesday, declaring the launch a “complete success,” the China Manned Space Administration said in a statement.
The Long March 2F rocket carrying the spacecraft took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert shortly after 9:30 a.m. local time, the agency said.
The spacecraft is on its way to the Chinese space station, where it will replace the crew of Shenzhou 15, who have lived there since last November.
CMSA stated that the crew of Shenzhou 16 will conduct scientific experiments and maintain equipment on the space station.
Tuesday’s launch marked China’s fifth manned mission to its space station since it first sent astronauts in 2021.
In recent years, China has stepped up efforts in space exploration and research.A CMSA official said China aimed to launch a Manned Moon Missions by 2030according to state media.
