Beijing, Oct 30 (EFE).- The Shenzhou-19 manned spacecraft, carrying three astronauts, successfully docked with China’s Tiangong space station on Wednesday after a six-and-a-half-hour journey from its launch in Jiuquan, northern China, the China Manned Space (CMS) agency said.
The spacecraft docked smoothly with the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong space station at 11:00 a.m. local time, the space agency said.
The crew is led by Cai Xuzhe, a veteran astronaut from the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022.
Two newcomers, Song Lingdong, a former air force pilot, and Wang Haoze, an engineer from the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology, are part of the mission.
The astronauts will soon the Shenzhou-18 crew already aboard the Tianhe module, including Ye Guangfu and new team Li Cong and Li Guangsu, who have been in orbit since April.
The two crews will remain together for several days until the Shenzhou-18 team returns to Earth.
During their six-month stay, the Shenzhou-19 team will conduct various scientific studies, including testing construction materials for potential lunar habitats using simulated lunar soil.
This marks the eighth manned mission to Tiangong, which is expected to operate for at least a decade and could soon become the world’s only space station.
The International Space Station, a US-led project from which China is excluded due to military links in its space program, may retire by the end of this year.
China’s strategic investments in its space program have led to significant achievements, such as landing the Chang’e 4 probe on the Moon’s far side and reaching Mars, positioning China as the third country to do so after the United States and the former Soviet Union. EFE
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