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Pakistan's Premier Multilingual News Agency

China launched Shenzhou-16 mission to Tiangong space station

Beijing, 31 May, 2023 (GNP): China successfully launched the Shenzhou-16 mission to the Tiangong space station on May 30, 2023. The mission is carrying three astronauts, who will spend six months on the space station conducting scientific experiments.

The Shenzhou-16 spacecraft was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gobi Dessert. The spacecraft successfully entered orbit around Earth and docked with the Tiangong space station.

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The three astronauts on the Shenzhou-16 mission are:

  • Nie Haisheng, commander of the mission
  • Zhang Lu, flight engineer
  • Wang Yaping, flight engineer

Nie Haisheng is a veteran astronaut who has previously flown on two Shenzhou missions. Zhang Lu and Wang Yaping are both making their first spaceflights.

The Shenzhou-16 mission is the second crewed mission to the Tiangong space station. The first crewed mission, Shenzhou-15, launched in September 2022. The Tiangong space station is China’s first permanent space station. It is expected to be completed in 2024.

The Shenzhou-16 mission is a major milestone in China’s space program. It demonstrates China’s ability to launch and operate a crewed space station. The mission is also seen as increasing space competition between the US and China.

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