China Launches New Crew to Tiangong Space Station

China is preparing to launch its Shenzhou-19 mission early Wednesday, sending a new crew of three astronauts to the Tiangong space station to replace the current team. The crew includes commander Cai Xuzhe, a veteran of the 2022 Shenzhou-14 mission, and first-time space travelers Song Lingdong, a former air force pilot, and Wang Haoze, an engineer who will be the third Chinese woman in space. The mission is a significant step in China's ambition to establish itself as a major space power, with goals that include sending astronauts to the moon by 2030 and creating a lunar research station. The launch is scheduled for 4:27 a.m. local time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, using a Long March-2F rocket. The astronauts will conduct 86 scientific experiments during their six-month stay, covering various fields including life sciences and microgravity physics. China's independent space program has advanced in response to its exclusion from the International Space Station, with aspirations to lead in global space exploration.