BeijingcTypeface:> China launched a new three-member crew to its Tiangong space station on Thursday.
The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft carrying three men lifted off late Thursday evening from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China’s Gobi Desert, as was seen in a state television broadcast. Commander Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu - all three of whom are trained fighter pilots with the People’s Liberation Army - are to relieve the space station’s current taikonauts who have been there about six months. They are due to return to Earth next week.
During their stay until around October, the new crew plan to carry out various scientific experiments in orbit, including experiments with different fish to find out more about breeding vertebrates in space.
Several space walks are also on the agenda, according to the China Manned Space Agency. (DPA)
