China has announced the launch of its space mission “Shenzhou-23,” sending three astronauts to the Tiangong space station in what will be the country’s longest human presence in space.
Reuters reported on Sunday, May 24, that the crewed spacecraft will be launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, and one astronaut will remain aboard the space station for a full year.
According to the report, Li Jiaying, a former Hong Kong police officer, will take part in the mission, becoming the first astronaut from Hong Kong to participate in China’s space program.
The other two astronauts, Zhou Yangzhu and Zhang Yuanzhi, are members of the astronaut division of the People’s Liberation Army of China.
China’s space agency said the mission represents one of the country’s most important steps in testing long-duration human spaceflight capabilities.
The mission comes amid increasing space competition between China and the United States in the race to reach the Moon.
Reports indicate that NASA plans to send astronauts back to the lunar surface by 2028, while China has set its target for 2030.
