The launch of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship is a complete success, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
China on Wednesday launched the Shenzhou-19 spaceship to send another three astronauts to its orbiting Tiangong space station.
The spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off at 04:27 (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, said the CMSA.
The Shenzhou-19 crew consists of mission commander Cai Xuzhe, and astronauts Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze. A send-off ceremony was held for the astronauts before they left for the launch site.
About 10 minutes after the launch, the Shenzhou-19 spaceship separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit, said the CMSA.
The spaceship will perform a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station core module Tianhe in about 6.5 hours, forming a combination of three modules and three spacecraft.
The three astronauts will complete an in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-18 trio and stay at the Tiangong space station for approximately six months.
The new crew has numerous tasks ahead, including conducting space science and application tests, performing extravehicular activities, installing protective devices against space debris, and managing the installation and recycling of extravehicular payloads and equipment.
They will also engage in science education, public interest activities, and other payload tests.
Shenzhou-19 is the 33rd flight mission of China's manned space program and the fourth manned mission during the application and development stage of China's space station.
China successfully launches Shenzhen-19 crewed spaceship
