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Watch China Launch Shenzhou-19 Astronauts to Tiangong Space Station Today (Video)

Umito October 29, 2024

Watch live! China’s Shenzhou 19 crew launches to Tiangong space station – YouTube
Watch live! China's Shenzhou 19 crew launches to Tiangong space station - YouTube

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China is set to launch its latest trio of astronauts to its Tiangong space station today, and you can watch the action live.

The Shenzhou 19 mission is about to launch from the Jiuquan spaceport in northwest China to the Tiangong Space Station at 4:27 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, October 29 (8:27 p.m. GMT; or 4:27 a.m. on October 30, Beijing time).

The crew was revealed less than a day before the launch at a press conference in Jiuquan. The mission will be commanded by astronaut Cai Xuzhe, 48, who was part of the Shenzhou 14 mission which spear in Tiangong in June 2022.

three astronauts in suits raise their right hands with elbows bent, standing behind white-capped podiums in front of a large Chinese flag. — Chinese astronauts Wang Haoze, Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, who will carry out the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceflight mission, meet with the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 29, 2024 in Alxa League, China’s Autonomous Region. Inner Mongolia in China. (Image credit: VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

He will be accompanied by Song Lingdong, 34, a former air force pilot, and Wang Haoze, also 34, a former senior engineer at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the main contractor. Chinese space. Both belong to the third group of Chinese astronauts and are beginning their first journey to space. Wang is China’s first and only female spaceflight engineer.

a white and blue rocket on a launch pad — The combination of Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft and a Long March-2F carrier rocket is transferred to the launch site of Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 22, 2024 in Alxa League, Inner Mongolia of China. (Image credit: VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Launch of Shenzhou 19 via a Long walk from 2F Rocket is expected to be broadcast live. The spacecraft is expected to dock at Tiangong 6.5 hours later. Cai, Song and Wang will then begin a six-month stay aboard the space station, completing various tasks.

“The Shenzhou 19 mission will include multiple extravehicular activities,” Cai said at the press conference. “We have conducted extensive training in the field, doing everything possible to anticipate all possible scenarios.”

Chinese Shenzhou 19 crew speaks at introductory event – YouTube

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“I am mainly responsible for space experiment projects, hardware management and station operation,” Wang said. “Of course, many major projects will be accomplished collectively by the three of us on the crew.”

Meanwhile, the Shenzhou 18 the crew currently on board Tiangong is preparing their return to Earth after six months in orbit. The trio of Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu will hand over control of the space station to Cai, Song and Wang and return to Earth around 1:00 p.m. EDT on November 3 (5:00 p.m. GMT; or 1:00 a.m. Beijing time). November 4)