China Launches Their First Long-Duration Space Mission

CNSA launched 3 taikonauts to their new space station on the Shenzou 13 mission aboard the Long March (Chang Zheng) 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The crew is:

Wang Yaping - Will be the first woman to be on the Chinese Space Station

Zhai Zhigang- Commander

Ye Guangfu - Rookie Taikonaut

Credit: Xinhua

This was China's eight human spaceflight, and the first time two Chinese crews launch the same year. This will the longest Taikonauts stay in space, six months.

The launch happened at 16:23 UTC or 00:23 local time.