China continues its journey to Moon with planned Shenzhou-20 mission

This week, China is set to launch a new crewed mission, Shenzhou-20, to its own space station, Tiangong.

The project marks another step toward the country's ambitious goal of sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030, Caliber.Az reports, citing Agence France-Presse.

The spacecraft, carrying three astronauts, will launch from the Jiuquan Space Center, located in the desert in the northwest of the country. The crew will spend about six months in orbit, continuing scientific experiments that are intended to bring China closer to establishing a permanent base on the Moon.

The names of the astronauts for this mission have not yet been officially announced, but according to Chinese media, the team is in excellent condition and has successfully completed all pre-flight training. It was earlier reported that the previous mission, Shenzhou-19, will conclude on April 29. That crew includes three astronauts, among them experienced pilot Cai Xuzhe and Wang Haoze, the only female engineer in China’s astronaut corps. 

According to authorities, China’s crewed spaceflight program is progressing according to plan.

At the core of this program is the Tiangong (“Heavenly Palace”) space station, whose modules have been launched into orbit over the past few years. The station is designed to operate for at least ten years, with crews rotating every six months.

Officials emphasise that all work is proceeding on schedule, and China’s “space dream” is gradually becoming a reality.

By Khagan Isayev