China's space agency is gearing up to launch a new crew to its space station on Thursday as part of its ambitious space program. The three-member crew of the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft will replace the current team who have been on duty at China's Tiangong space station since last October.
China's decision to build its own space station came after being excluded from the International Space Station, primarily due to concerns from the United States regarding the involvement of the People's Liberation Army in the program. This year, China plans for two cargo spacecraft missions and two manned spaceflight missions.
During a press conference, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) introduced the three astronauts who will be part of the Shenzhou-18 mission. The crew includes Commander Ye Guangfu, a veteran astronaut, and two first-time astronauts, Li Cong and Li Guangsu. They are expected to spend approximately six months on the space station, conducting scientific tests, installing space debris protection equipment, carrying out payload experiments, and promoting science education.
Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, mentioned that China is working towards allowing foreign astronauts and space tourists access to its space station in the future. Lin expressed the agency's desire to see astronauts of various nationalities on China's space station.
The crew is scheduled for lift-off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's northwest. China conducted its first manned space mission in 2003, becoming the third country to independently send a person into space after the former Soviet Union and the U.S.
While the U.S. space program is considered to have an advantage over China in terms of spending, supply chains, and capabilities, China has made significant strides in space exploration. China recently brought back lunar samples and landed a rover on the far side of the moon.
Looking ahead, the U.S. aims to return astronauts to the moon by the end of 2025, with the help of private sector companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. Currently, only four countries - the U.S., Russia, China, and India - have successfully landed spacecraft on the moon.
