China to launch Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship at 5:17 p.m. Thursday

(ECNS) — China is scheduled to launch the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft at 5:17 p.m. Beijing Time on Thursday, a spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced Wednesday.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The crew for the mission comprises Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, with Chen Dong serving as the mission commander.

The mission marks the fifth crewed flight during the application and development phase of China's space station and the 35th flight mission of the country's manned space program.

According to Lin Xiqiang, the spokesperson, the main objectives of the Shenzhou-20 mission include completing an in-orbit crew rotation with the Shenzhou-19 crew, staying aboard the space station for approximately six months, conducting space science and application experiments, performing extravehicular activities (EVAs), and managing cargo transfers. The astronauts will also install space debris protection devices and retrieve external payloads and equipment.

After entering orbit, Shenzhou-20 will conduct an autonomous rapid rendezvous and docking maneuver with the radial port of the Tianhe core module about 6.5 hours after launch to form a combination of three spacecraft and three modules.

During their stay in orbit, the crew will welcome the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft and the Shenzhou-21 manned spacecraft. They are scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in late October.

Following the handover with the Shenzhou-20 crew, the Shenzhou-19 crew is expected to return to the Dongfeng landing site next Tuesday.

(By Zhao Li)