Devendra Kumar
China successfully launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station, Shenzhou-18, on Thursday evening, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space programme. The spacecraft, atop a Long March 2-F rocket, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-western China at 8:59pm local time. Led by veteran astronaut Commander Ye Guangfu, 43, the crew will relieve the Shenzhou-17 team, which has been manning the space station since last October. The three astronauts, including two fighter pilots, Li Cong, 34, and Li Guangsu, 36, who are spaceflight rookies, are expected to reach the space station about six-and-a-half hours after lift-off.
China built its own space station after being excluded from the International Space Station, largely due to US concerns over the Chinese military’s involvement in the programme. This year, the space station is slated for two cargo spacecraft missions and two manned spaceflight missions, with the Shenzhou-18 crew’s mission marking a significant milestone in China’s space programme. China’s scientists are working towards a series of ambitious goals, including putting astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and establishing a permanent lunar base. The country’s space programme has made significant progress in recent years, with the successful launch of a lunar rover and a series of crewed missions to its space station.
The Shenzhou-18 crew’s mission will be closely watched by space agencies and scientists around the world as China continues to push the boundaries of space exploration. The crew’s journey began earlier on Thursday, with a send-off ceremony featuring flag-waving children and patriotic tunes as they prepared to enter the spacecraft. The ceremony highlighted the excitement and anticipation surrounding the mission, as China continues to assert its presence in the global space community. The Shenzhou-18 crew’s mission is a significant step towards achieving China’s ambitious goals in space exploration and will be a key moment in the country’s space programme.
As China sends its astronauts to the space station, it is also planning to send a mission to Mars in the mid-2020s and establish a permanent human settlement on the Moon. The country’s space agency has announced plans to continue exploring space, with a focus on establishing a human presence beyond Earth. With the Shenzhou-18 crew’s mission, China is one step closer to achieving its ambitious goals and solidifying its position as a major player in the global space community. The crew’s success will pave the way for future missions and mark a new chapter in China’s space programme.