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China Launches Shenzhou-19 Mission to Space
On Wednesday, China is poised to launch three astronauts into low-Earth orbit as part of its 14th manned space mission. This mission, named Shenzhou-19, will facilitate a series of scientific experiments in space.
Among the 14 crewed missions undertaken by China, eight have involved visits to the country’s indigenous space station, Tiangong, which translates to “Celestial Palace” in Chinese.
The Shenzhou-19 mission will be spearheaded by Cai Xuzhe, who previously participated in the Shenzhou-14 mission in June 2022. The team also includes two relatively young astronauts, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, both born in 1990, marking their first venture into space.
Wang Haoze holds a significant distinction as China’s only female spaceflight engineer, making her the third woman from China to travel into space. Notably, before her, female astronauts Liu Yang and Wang Yaping had each completed two missions as part of the Shenzhou program.
China’s journey into space began with the launch of its first unmanned spacecraft, Shenzhou-1, in November 1999. Following that initial success, three more uncrewed flights paved the way for Yang Liwei, who became the first Chinese citizen to reach space aboard Shenzhou-5 in 2003.
Historical Overview of Shenzhou Crewed Missions
The following table summarizes the key details of previous Shenzhou missions:
| Mission | Year/Month of Launch | Crew | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shenzhou-5 | 2003/October | Yang Liwei | Male |
| Shenzhou-6 | 2005/October | Fei Junlong, Nie Haisheng | Male |
| Shenzhou-7 | 2008/September | Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming, Jing Haipeng | Male |
| Shenzhou-9 | 2012/June | Jing Haipeng, Liu Wang, Liu Yang | Male, Female |
| Shenzhou-10 | 2013/June | Nie Haisheng, Zhang Xiaoguang, Wang Yaping | Male, Female |
| Shenzhou-11 | 2016/October | Jing Haipeng, Chen Dong | Male |
| Shenzhou-12 | 2021/June | Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, Tang Hongbo | Male |
| Shenzhou-13 | 2021/October | Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, Ye Guangfu | Male, Female |
| Shenzhou-14 | 2022/June | Chen Dong, Liu Yang, Cai Xuzhe | Male, Female |
| Shenzhou-15 | 2022/November | Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming, Zhang Lu | Male |
| Shenzhou-16 | 2023/May | Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu, Gui Haichao | Male |
| Shenzhou-17 | 2023/October | Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, Jiang Xinlin | Male |
| Shenzhou-18 | 2024/April | Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, Li Guangsu | Male |
| Shenzhou-19 | 2024/October | Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, Wang Haoze | Male, Female |
As China continues to expand its presence in space, the Shenzhou-19 mission represents another milestone in its growing space program, showcasing not only advancements in technology but also gender inclusion in the field of astronautics.
Source
www.investing.com