Three Chinese Astronauts Launched to Space Station
A spacecraft carrying three astronauts has been launched by China to the Chinese space station on Sunday. Construction of the station entered a pivotal stage and to be completed by the end of the year.
Live broadcast by state television showed a Long March-2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou-14_ launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 10:44 a.m. (0244 GMT). In chinese Shenzhou means 'Divine vessel'.
Construction began last year with the launch of the first and largest of its three modules - Tianhe. Tianhe is the staying quarters of visiting astronauts. The other two modules Wentian and Mengtian are to be launched respectively in July and October. These to will be docking with Tianhe to form a T-shaped structure.
Shenzhou-14 mission is commanded by former air force pilot Chen Dong_ 43_ is China's second cohort of astronauts. The team consisting Liu Yang_ 43_ and Cai Xuzhe_ 46_ will live and work on the space station for six months. Shenzhou-14 will return to Earth in December with the arrival of the Shenzhou-15 crew.
Chen with China's first female astronaut Liu and space mission debutant Cai_ will oversee the rendezvous_ docking and integration of Wentian and Mengtian with the core module. They will also install equipment inside and outside the station and carry out scientific research.
'The Shenzhou-14 mission is a pivotal battle in the construction stage of China's space station_' Chen told a Press conference in Jiuquan on Saturday. 'The task will be tougher_ there will be more problems and the challenges will be greater.'
The space station is designed for a lifespan of at least a decade.
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