China marked another major milestone in its ambitious space program on Thursday, sending a trio of astronauts to its permanently crewed space station. The launch, part of the long-running Shenzhou program, is the 15th crewed mission and the 20th overall since the initiative began over 30 years ago.
At exactly 5:17 p.m. local time (0917 GMT), the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft soared into the sky aboard a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, located in the remote deserts of northwest China. The launch was broadcast live by state media outlet CCTV, showcasing China’s growing capabilities in human spaceflight.
The mission reinforces Beijing’s commitment to becoming a dominant player in space exploration. With its own fully operational space station now permanently inhabited, China is steadily carving out a path independent of the International Space Station (ISS), from which it has been excluded.
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Each launch in the Shenzhou series has built upon the last, and this latest mission continues to demonstrate China’s strategic and scientific ambitions beyond Earth’s atmosphere. With eyes set on future lunar and Martian exploration, the Shenzhou-20 mission is not just a technical feat—it’s a statement of intent.
As the crew settles into their new orbital home, China’s space program moves one step closer to its long-term goal: becoming a space power on par with, or even ahead of, the traditional giants.
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