China Launches Shenzhou XIX Mission to Tiangong

China's Shenzhou XIX mission is set to launch with a crew of three astronauts, including Wang Haoze, the third Chinese woman in space and the first female spaceflight engineer. The crew will spend six months aboard the Tiangong space station, replacing the current Shenzhou XVIII team. Meanwhile, plans for the Tiangong station's expansion were discussed at the International Astronautical Congress, detailing upgrades to transition its current T-shaped configuration to a cross or Double-T shape, allowing for more scientific experiments and larger crew capacities. Upcoming spacecraft, including the Mengzhou, will support lunar missions and enhance operations at Tiangong. The comprehensive upgrades aim to position Tiangong as a key player in global space research, with the introduction of the Chinese Space Station Telescope expected to boost astronomical initiatives. China is also investing in further Shenzhou missions, aiming for a manned lunar mission by 2030.