China yesterday successfully launched a rocket to send a team of three astronauts to the nation’s space station.
The Shenzhou 17 blasted off at 11:14am, state broadcaster China Central Television reported.
The launch comes shortly after a top Chinese scientist outlined the nation’s space goals for the next 15 years, including a mission to send Chinese astronauts to the moon for the first time.
Photo: Reuters
During a speech on Sunday Wu Weiren (吳偉仁), chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, also accused the US of trying to hinder the development of China’s space program.
“China’s deep space exploration is facing serious challenges marked by a blockade and isolation from the US-led West, which is comparable with the suppression the country’s suffering from in the chip industry,” the Global Times quoted him as saying.
China aims to become the first nation to have a spacecraft return to Earth with samples from the far side of the moon next year, Wu said.
Other projects include a robotic probe to the lunar south pole, as well as a crewed mission “around 2030.”
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has frequently spoken about the threat posed to the US by China in space, warning that Beijing might seek to get to the lunar south pole first and prevent other countries from accessing resources there.
China “has never sought hegemony in space,” China Manned Space Agency Director Lin Xiqiang (林西強) said on Wednesday, adding that the country is ready to invite astronauts from other countries to participate in its space program.
The three astronauts on the mission are Tang Hongbo (湯洪波), who was part of the Shenzhou 12 crew, Tang Shengjie (唐勝傑) and Jiang Xinlin (江新林).
The astronauts are to work in the Tiangong space station for six months and return in April, according to the briefing.
China last launched a crewed rocket to its space station on May 30, when the Shenzhou 16 spaceship sent three astronauts, including veteran Jing Haipeng (景海鵬) and scientist Gui Haichao (桂海潮).
During their time in space, they conducted a spacewalk and held a public lecture for Chinese students.
The Shenzhou 16 crew members are scheduled to return to Earth on Tuesday next week.
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