China is set to launch its next crewed spaceflight, Shenzhou-20, at 5:17 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Thursday, April 24, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced.
The mission marks the 35th flight under China’s manned space program and the fifth crewed mission in the operational phase of its space station project.
The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft will carry a three-member crew: Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, with Chen Dong serving as mission commander.
The launch date coincides with China’s Space Day, which has been observed annually since 2016 to commemorate the successful launch of the country’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, on April 24, 1970.
A Long March-2F carrier rocket will be used for the launch and is currently undergoing final preparations, including fueling. All systems are reported to be on track and functioning smoothly, according to CMSA spokesperson Lin Xiqiang, who briefed the media from Jiuquan.
The crew is expected to remain in orbit for an extended mission and will return to Earth at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China around late October.
