On the evening of November 29, Shenzhou 15 was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China using a Long March 2F rocket.
On board were three Chinese astronauts, who will join three others to complete the final mission in the plan to build the Tiangong space station.
According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), Shenzhou 15 successfully docked with the Tiangong station in the early hours of November 30.
This personnel addition in space has been hailed as “historic” by CGTN and CNBC, as the crew, including commander Fei Junlong and teammates Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, reunited with three other Chinese astronauts currently on duty in the core module of the Tiangong space station.
This marks the first time China has conducted personnel rotation and addition in a microgravity environment, setting a precedent for future regular missions.
6 Chinese astronauts have a historic reunion in space. (Photo: CCTV).
The six Chinese astronauts will work together to install and operate equipment related to space missions, both inside and outside the station, during their brief time together.
Shortly after, in early December, the crew members of the Shenzhou 14 mission will prepare for their journey home on the spacecraft that just docked at the space station.
It is known that Shenzhou 15 is the final mission in a series of 11 planned launches to build and fully operationalize the Tiangong space station. The first launch of the Tiangong core module took place in April 2021, less than 18 months ago.
Illustration design of the Tiangong space station. (Photo: CMSA).
Ji Qiming, spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), stated that the Tiangong space station is currently in a stable state with all systems functioning well and ready for spacecraft landing and crew transfer.
Once fully assembled, the Tiangong space station is expected to operate for about 10 years, serving as a home for crewed missions lasting approximately six months.
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