China set for Shenzhou-20 spaceflight launch

A Chinese language nationwide flag and pins exhibiting the Tiangong house station are displayed on a uniform of Chinese language astronaut for the upcoming Shenzhou-20 mission throughout a gathering with media on the Jiuquan Satellite tv for pc Launch Heart in northwest China, April 23, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: AP

China is ready to launch its Shenzhou-20 mission that can carry three astronauts to the Chinese language house station Tiangong at 5.17 p.m. on April 24 native time (0917 GMT), state media mentioned on Wednesday.

The principle function of the mission is to finish the in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-19 crew which is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng touchdown website on April 29, China Manned House Company officers mentioned at a press convention broadcast on CCTV.

The Shenzhou-20 spaceflight from the Jiuquan Satellite tv for pc Launch Heart in northwest China will carry astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, CCTV mentioned.

The spaceflight can be Chen Dong’s third and the primary for the opposite two – an area engineer and a former air power pilot.

They’ll conduct house science and utility experiments, set up an area particles safety system in addition to extravehicular payload and gear, and carry out restoration duties.

The mission may also convey with it zebrafish, planarians and streptomyces as analysis objects to hold out three life science experiments on the house station.

The crew, scheduled to return to the earth in late October, can anticipate a resupply mission through the unmanned Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft.

The nation’s fourth batch of astronauts set to take part in Shenzhou spaceflights is presently in coaching, that includes for the primary time astronauts from China’s particular administrative areas of Hong Kong and Macau, in addition to Pakistan.

The Hong Kong and Macau astronauts are more likely to perform their first mission as early as 2026, state media reported.

China mentioned the number of the Pakistani astronauts is underway. Each international locations signed an settlement for house cooperation in February.

One of many two Pakistani astronauts that can be a part of the Chinese language missions is ready to deal with payloads and scientific analysis aboard China’s house station.