Jiuquan (China), April 24 (LaPresse) – China has launched the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft with three astronauts on board to replace the crew of the Chinese space station Tiangong. Shenzhou 20 took off as scheduled aboard the Long March 2F rocket at 17:17 local time (11:17 AM in Italy). It will reach the Tiangong station approximately 6 and a half hours later. The rocket launched from the Jiuquan launch center, located on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China. The spacecraft will remain in space before bringing the current crew back. This is another step forward in Beijing's ambitions to conduct a crewed mission to the Moon and explore Mars. The Shenzhou 20 mission, or "Celestial Ship," is commanded by Chen Dong, on his third flight. He is accompanied by fighter pilot Chen Zhongrui and engineer Wang Jie, both on their first trip. Unlike previous crews, Shenzhou 20 is composed exclusively of men.
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