The Shenzhou 16 spacecraft and its provider rocket raise off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 30, 2023 in Jiuquan, China.
Kevin Frayer | Getty Images
China launched its Shenzhou-16 spacecraft crewed by three astronauts on Tuesday, the China Manned Space Agency mentioned in an announcement, declaring the launch a “complete success.”
The company mentioned the Long March 2F rocket carrying the spaceship took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center within the Gobi Desert shortly after 9:30 a.m. native time.
The spacecraft is heading to China’s space station and can relieve the crew of Shenzhou-15, who’ve been living there since November.
The Shenzhou-16 crew will conduct scientific experiments and upkeep on space station tools, mentioned CMSA.
Tuesday’s launch marks China’s fifth crewed mission to its space station because it first sent astronauts in 2021.
In latest years, China has ramped up its efforts in space exploration and analysis. A CMSA official mentioned China goals to launch a crewed mission to the moon by 2030, in accordance to state media.