China prepares for moon mission – sends up three astronauts

TT

Published 17.44 

 

The three astronauts for China's Shenzhou-23 space mission Lai Ka-Ying, Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan wave during a farewell ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Sunday. Photo: Ng Han Guan/AP/TT

China launched three astronauts into space on Sunday afternoon as part of preparations for future missions to the moon and Mars.

China's Shenzhou-23 mission, which will launch a Long March 2-F rocket, was scheduled for 23.08 local time, 17.08 Swedish time.

The launch has now been completed, with Hong Kong astronaut Lai Ka-Ying, aerospace engineer Zhu Yangzhu and former air force pilot Zhang Zhiyuan all travelling into space for the first time.

A key experiment in the mission is for one of the crew members to stay in orbit for a full year – to study the effects of prolonged stay in microgravity.

The step is seen as crucial to Beijing’s ambitions to send humans to the moon by 2030, in a space race in which the US is also participating with its Artemis programme.