Chinese astronauts enter space station following Shenzhou-19 mission success

Three Chinese astronauts, including one woman, successfully joined the Tiangong space station after their spacecraft’s smooth launch on October 30, preparing to operate the station for a six-month stint.

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced that the Shenzhou-19 crew entered Tiangong to initiate a handover with the previous team of three astronauts, who have been aboard for the past six months, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Following a swift, automated docking at the space station's core module, Tianhe, at 11 am Beijing time, the new crew was welcomed aboard.

The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft, carried by a Long March-2F rocket, launched in the early hours from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China. Roughly ten minutes post-launch, it separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit before docking with Tiangong.

China constructed its space station independently, reportedly due to exclusion from the International Space Station (ISS) over concerns regarding China’s military involvement in its space programme. This makes China the only country currently operating its own space station, which may soon become the sole facility of its kind in orbit as the ISS nears retirement.

Tiangong’s robotic arms, particularly the larger one capable of grasping objects in space, including satellites, have attracted international attention. Earlier this month, China outlined plans to advance its space ambitions, aiming for lunar exploration, establishing a lunar base, and investigating habitable planets, with aspirations of furthering these goals over the next few decades.

The Shenzhou-19 team comprises commander Cai Xuzhe and astronauts Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, who is China’s only female space engineer and the nation’s third woman to participate in a crewed space mission.

Note that, the crew's tasks include performing scientific experiments, extravehicular activities, installing debris protection systems, and managing equipment. CMSA spokesperson Lin Xiqiang reported that the team will conduct 86 research experiments across various disciplines, from microgravity and space medicine to new space technologies.

The crew will rotate with the existing team on the space station and continue operations until their return in six months. Wang Haoze will oversee experimental projects, cargo management, and the station’s operational tasks.

China is also discussing international partnerships to allow astronauts from other nations to participate in Tiangong’s missions, with a Pakistani astronaut expected to join in the future. “Regardless of nationality, humanity’s collective journey to uncover the universe’s mysteries continues,” said Lin Xiqiang.

By Aghakazim Guliyev