Shenzhou 12 Launches with 3 Astronauts for Space Station Repair and Maintenance Activities
Part of China's Space Station 'Tiangong' Construction Project
[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] China successfully launched 'Shenzhou 12,' carrying three crew members, on the 17th as part of its independent space station construction project.
Xinhua News Agency reported that at 9:22 a.m. local time, Shenzhou 12 was launched on a 'Changzheng-2F Yao-12' rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province, northwest China.
This flight marks the first mission in China's Tiangong space station construction project where crew members go into space. Earlier, China launched the Tianhe core module and the Tianzhou 2 cargo spacecraft carrying crew supplies in April and May, respectively, and they are currently docked successfully.
After entering orbit, Shenzhou 12 will dock with the Tianghe core module of the space station. The three crew members, including Nie Haisheng, will live inside the module for three months, conducting spacecraft repairs and maintenance, equipment replacement, scientific experiments, and extravehicular activities. After completing their mission, the Shenzhou 12 crew will return aboard the spacecraft to the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
In addition to Shenzhou 12, China plans to sequentially launch the Tianzhou 3 cargo spacecraft and the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft to complete the construction of its independent space station by the end of next year.
China's space station measures 37 meters in length and weighs 90 tons, about one-third the size of the International Space Station (ISS), which is jointly operated by the United States, Russia, and others. Since the ISS is scheduled to operate only until 2024, once China's space station is completed as planned, it is expected to be the only space station in Earth's orbit for the foreseeable future.
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