--- title: "New 3-astronaut crew launched to China's Tiangong space station." description: "\"New 3-astronaut crew launched to China's Tiangong space station.\"" author: "Saumya Mishra" published: 2023-10-26 updated: 2023-10-26 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/news/3452/new-3-astronaut-crew-launched-to-china-s-tiangong-space-station category: "technology" tags: ["space science"] reading_time: 2 minutes --- # New 3-astronaut crew launched to China's Tiangong space station. [China](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/tags/xi-jinping) marked another milestone in its [space exploration](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/302698/the-new-era-of-space-exploration-impacts-of-innovation-and-discovery) endeavors with the successful launch of a fresh three-man crew to the [Tiangong space station](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2570/china-s-new-space-station-opens-for-business-in-an-increasingly-competitive-era-of-space-activity). ## Highlights: - ***Smooth Liftoff:*** **Commander Tang Hongbo, along with Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, embarked on their journey from the Jiuquan [Satellite Launch](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114603/name-the-rocket-used-in-isro-s-first-successful-satellite-launch) Center atop a Long March 2F rocket at 11:14 a.m. local time. The launch proceeded flawlessly.** - ***Handover in Orbit:*** **The incoming crew will conduct a "handover" to familiarize themselves with station operations before Shenzhou 16's crew returns to Earth next week.** - ***Space Debris Inspection:*** **Among their tasks, the Shenzhou 17 crew will carry out a spacewalk to inspect and potentially repair small space debris impacts on the station's solar arrays.** China's latest [space mission](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/100622/which-country-recently-conducted-a-successful-space-mission-to-the-moon), **Shenzhou 17**, blasted off from the **Jiuquan Satellite** [Launch Center](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114604/where-is-isro-s-primary-satellite-launch-center-located-in-india), **850 miles west of Beijing**. The three-man crew, led by Commander Tang Hongbo, embarked on their mission to replace the outgoing taikonauts who have spent six months aboard the Tiangong space station. ![New 3-astronaut crew launched to China's Tiangong space station.](https://www.mindstick.com/usernews/655071/a91c2981-cf40-48c9-8c94-ded1453b08dc/images/f5422817-8a86-40f4-9bda-c8631dc5d210.jpg) The launch was executed seamlessly, and after releasing from the rocket, the spacecraft is set to rendezvous with the space station in about six-and-a-half hours. Shenzhou 16's crew, currently stationed at Tiangong, is prepared to welcome their successors and provide them with essential information about station operations. A significant task for the incoming crew will be to conduct a spacewalk to inspect and, if necessary, repair small space debris impacts on the station's solar arrays. Lin Xigiang, deputy director of the **China Manned [Space Agency](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/32252/cryogenic-engine-for-upper-stage-of-gslv-mk-iii-was-successfully-tested-by-which-space-agency),** emphasized the importance of this task due to the growing issue of space debris. The Tiangong space station is an integral part of China's space ambitions and serves as a platform for scientific experiments and [international cooperation](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/35303/is-there-under-human-rights-law-an-obligation-of-international-cooperation). It is newer and equipped with advanced technology compared to its international counterpart, the [**International Space Station (ISS)**](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/). In the future, China plans to invite international astronauts to participate in lunar landing missions and [explore the universe](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/84920/how-ai-algorithm-helps-scientists-to-explore-the-universe-with-new-eyes) together, continuing to contribute to the global space exploration efforts. --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/news/3452/new-3-astronaut-crew-launched-to-china-s-tiangong-space-station Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.