posted 10-28-2024 06:23 PM               

China prepares to launch Shenzhou-19 crew

China is expected to launch the Shenzhou-19 crew soon.

The combination of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket were transferred to the pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Oct. 22.

The Shenzhou-19 crewed space mission has completed its last joint practice before launch and the system-wide airtightness check. The rocket and spacecraft have completed the electrical performance test, and the astronauts and all systems at the launch site have carried out the launch drill, with everything reported to be in good condition, according to the launch center.

posted 10-28-2024 08:51 PM               

China unveils Shenzhou-19 crew for space station mission

Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze will carry out the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceflight mission, and Cai will be the commander, the China Manned Space Agency announced at a press conference on Tuesday (Oct. 29).

Above: This photo shows Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe (center), Song Lingdong (right) and Wang Haoze who will carry out the Shenzhou-19 spaceflight mission. (Xinhua)

The Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 4:27 a.m. Wednesday Beijing Time (4:27 p.m. EDT or 2027 GMT Oct. 29) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, said Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson of the agency.

Cai completed the Shenzhou-14 space mission in 2022. Song and Wang, among the third batch of Chinese astronauts, are newcomers to space. Both of them were born in the 1990s.

Song was a former air force pilot before being selected as an astronaut, and Wang previously served as a senior engineer at the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Wang is currently China's only female space flight engineer and will become the third Chinese woman to embark on a crewed spaceflight mission, the agency noted.

posted 10-29-2024 03:40 PM               

China launches Shenzhou-19 crew for six-month stay on space station

China has launched a new three-person crew to its space station, including a commander making his second visit to the orbiting laboratory and the only female flight engineer currently in China's astronaut corps.

Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze lifted off on the Shenzhou-19 mission on Tuesday (Oct. 29). The three Chinese taikonauts took flight at 4:27 p.m. EDT (2027 GMT or 4:27 a.m. on Oct. 30 Beijing Time) atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

posted 10-30-2024 08:00 AM               

Shenzhou-19 docks, crew enters space station

China's Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft arrived the Tiangong space station on Tuesday (Oct. 29), according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Above: This image captured at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 30, 2024 shows the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceraft docking with the Tiangong space station's Tianhe core module. (Xinhua)

The spacecraft completed an autonomous rendezvous and docking with the forward-facing port of the station's Tianhe core module at 11:00 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT or 11 a.m. Beijing Time on Oct. 30).

The three Shenzhou-19 taikonauts, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, entered the space station and met with the Shenzhou-18 crew of Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, starting their in-orbit handover. The Shenzhou-18 crew opened the hatch at 12:51 a.m. EDT (0451 GMT or 12:51 p.m. Beijing Time) and greeted the new arrivals.

The six crew members then took group pictures for the fifth meeting of two crews in China's space history. They will live and work together for about five days to complete planned tasks and handover work, the CMSA said.

Above: This image captured at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 30, 2024 shows the crews of Shenzhou-18 (at left) and Shenzhou-19 talking with each other soon after the Shenzhou-19 crew's arrival. (Xinhua)

posted 12-17-2024 07:38 PM               

Shenzhou-19 crew completes first extravehicular activities

Shenzhou-19 crew members aboard China's orbiting space station completed the first extravehicular activities (EVAs) of their mission at 9:57 p.m. Beijing Time (8:57 p.m. EST or 1357 GMT) on Tuesday (Dec. 17), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, worked for nine hours on completing multiple tasks, including the installation of space-debris protection devices. They were assisted by the space station's robotic arm and a team on Earth.

Cai and Song, the two crew members assigned the EVA duty, have since returned safely to the Wentian lab module.

The mission of the first extravehicular activities of the Shenzhou-19 crew was a complete success, setting a new record for the duration of extravehicular activities by Chinese astronauts, said the CMSA.

It marked Cai's second EVAs in space, following his initial EVAs during the Shenzhou-14 mission two years ago. Song became the first Chinese astronaut born after 1990 to carry out EVAs, said the agency.

The Shenzhou-19 crew is set to carry out a slew of scheduled space-science experiments and technical tests, while they will also undertake additional extravehicular activities and install payloads outside the space station, the agency added.

posted 01-20-2025 02:41 PM               

Shenzhou 19 astronauts successfully complete second extravehicular activity

At 1:12 a.m. on January 21, 2025, Beijing time (12:12 p.m. EST or 1712 GMT on Jan. 20), after about 8.5 hours of extravehicular activities, the Shenzhou 19 crew of Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze worked closely together, and with the support of the space station's robotic arm and ground researchers, completed the installation of the space station's space debris protection device and the inspection of extravehicular equipment and facilities.

Extravehicular astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong have safely returned to the Wentian Experimental Module, and the extravehicular activities were a complete success.

As of now, the "space business trip" of the Shenzhou 19 astronaut crew is about to pass the halfway point, and a large number of scientific experiments and technical tests will be carried out in orbit in the future.

In a few days, the Shenzhou 19 astronaut crew will usher in the Chinese New Year of the Snake in a busy working state, guarding the Chinese "space home" in the distant space and watching the lights of thousands of homes on Earth.

posted 03-24-2025 05:26 AM               

Shenzhou 19 astronauts successfully complete third extravehicular activity

At 20:50 on March 21, 2025 Beijing time [8:50 a.m. EDT (1250 GMT)], after about 7 hours of out-of-cabin activities, Shenzhou 19 crew astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze worked closely together to complete the installation of space station space debris protection devices and extravehicular equipment facilities, and inspections of extravehicular equipment facilities, and inspections of extravehicular equipment facilities.

Outboard astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong have safely returned to the experimental module, and the out-of-cabin activities have been a complete success. Astronaut Cai Xuzhe has completed five out-of-cabin activities, becoming the Chinese astronaut with the highest number of missions outside the capsule.

The "space travel trip" of the Shenzhou 19 crew has been nearly five months, and various space science (test) inspection missions are progressing smoothly. It is planned that the crew will return to Earth after more than a month.

posted 04-30-2025 09:08 AM               

Shenzhou 19 manned spacecraft landed successfully

At 13:08 Beijing time on April 30, 2025 [1:08 a.m. EDT or 0508 GMT], the return capsule of the Shenzhou 19 manned spacecraft successfully landed at the Dongfeng landing site. The on-site medical personnel confirmed that astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze were in good physical condition, and the Shenzhou 19 manned flight mission was a complete success.

At 4:00 on April 30, 2025, Beijing time [4:00 p.m. EDT or 2000 GMT on April 29], the Shenzhou 19 manned spacecraft successfully separated from the space station complex and was scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site at noon that day. This time, the Shenzhou spacecraft was delayed for one day due to strong winds at the landing site, and landed in the eastern area of the Dongfeng landing site for the first time.

At 12:17 Beijing time [1:17 a.m. EDT or 0417 GMT], the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center issued a return command through the ground tracking and control station, and the orbital module and the return capsule of the Shenzhou 19 manned spacecraft were successfully separated. After that, the spacecraft returned to the brake engine ignited, the return capsule separated from the propulsion capsule, and the return capsule landed successfully.

The search and rescue team responsible for the recovery mission discovered the target in time and arrived at the landing site. After the return capsule door was opened, the medical personnel confirmed that the astronauts were in good health.

The three astronauts stayed in orbit for 183 days, during which they conducted three extravehicular activities, completed the installation of the space station's space debris protection device, and completed multiple cargo extravehicular missions. They also carried out various tasks such as the installation, commissioning, inspection, maintenance and repair of equipment and facilities inside and outside the cabin, which further accumulated valuable data and experience for the long-term stable operation of the space station in orbit.

During the first extravehicular activity on December 17, 2024, the crew set a world record for the duration of a single extravehicular activity by astronauts. During their stay in orbit, the crew also completed a large number of space science experiments (tests) in the fields of basic microgravity physics, space material science, space life science, aerospace medicine, and aerospace technology with the close cooperation of ground scientific researchers.