China’s Shenzhou-12 shuttle docked at its space station

Over the next few months, the crew will conduct science experiments, equipment testing, and various maintenance and preparation tasks for the station for the arrival of two lab units next year.

With this mission, there are now 14 astronauts that China has sent into space since 2003.

Under a sunny morning sky, China on Thursday launched its first manned mission in five years, sending three military and scientific pilots to its new orbital station.

Before liftoff, the three astronauts were seen in their protective suits alongside space mission officials and the military. A crowd of children was also present, waving flowers and singing patriotic carols.

The three astronauts said a final goodbye to the crowd and climbed into the elevator to take them inside the shuttle at the launch pad at Jiuquan Center in northwest China.

transportation service Shenzhou 12 hanging on the missile Long Walk – 2F Y12 Immediately after the shooting scheduled for 9:22 Thursday morning.

The crew consists of two veterans and a recruit on his first mission in space.

La fusée s’est détachée de ses propulseurs environ deux minutes après le décollage, puis c’est la bobine entourant la navette au sommet de la fusée qui s’est retirée, ce qui a permis à la minutes navette de serondé Absolutely. Then the shuttle deployed the solar panels and entered orbit.

China is the third country to launch manned missions on its own, after the former Soviet Union and the United States.

While the three astronauts on this mission are all men, two women have already been sent into space by China on previous missions. Other women are expected to take part in upcoming missions to the space station also known as “Heavenly Harmony”.

This mission is the third in a series of 11 planned through the end of next year with the goal of adding additional units for the plant and equipment. A new crew of three astronauts will be dispatched within three months.

China is not involved in the alliance behind the International Space Station, mainly due to US opposition to the secretive Chinese program considered too close to the military.

However, China began to expand cooperation with Russia and various other countries. Its space station could also continue to operate after the closure of the International Space Station, whose life is nearing its end.

China also managed to send an exploration rover to Mars last month. It did the same thing previously on the far, less explored side of the Moon in order to return the first lunar samples to Earth since the 1970s.