China launches manned spacecraft on mission
China has sent three astronauts into space with the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft
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The spacecraft, carried by a Long March-2F rocket, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province, Inner Mongolia, at 04:27 local time on Wednesday (20:27 GMT Tuesday).
The spacecraft carries Cai Xuzhe (48), Song Lingdong (34), and Wang Haoze (34). Cai is serving as the mission commander.
It was stated that the crew is in good health.
The Shenzhou-19 crew will take over control of space operations from the Shenzhou-18 taikonauts, who are nearing the completion of a six-month research mission.
As part of the Shenzhou-19 flight mission, 86 separate experiments are expected to be conducted.
The mission aims to obtain scientific data from experiments in fields such as life sciences in space, microgravity fundamental physics, space materials science, space medicine, and new space technologies.