China: China launched a three-person crew for a six-month mission aboard its space station on Saturday, aiming to break the record for the longest time spent in space by Chinese astronauts as the country nears completion of the orbiting facility. A Long March-2F rocket launched the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft carrying the three astronauts at 12:25 a.m. Saturday (4225 GMT Friday).
Pilot Zhai Zhigang, 55, and Wang Yaping, 41, the mission’s only female crew member, as well as Ye Guangfu, 41 are the crew members. The crew is planned to install equipment in preparation for the station’s expansion, as well as analyzing living conditions in the module and conducting studies in space medicine and other fields. Shenzhou-13 is the structure’s fifth mission, including supply deliveries without crews.
Zhao Lijian said, “sending humans into space was a common cause of mankind, and China would continue to extend the depth and breadth of international cooperation and exchanges in crewed spaceflight and make positive contributions to the exploration of the mysteries of the universe.”
China has stepped up its lunar and Mars exploration efforts. China also landed its Tianwen-1 space mission on Mars this year, together with the Zhurong rover, which has been searching for signs of life on the red planet.