China Launches Shenzhou-12 Spacecraft to New Space Station

China successfully launched its spacecraft Shenzhou-12 with three astronauts on board to space station’s core module Tianhe for a three-month , first crewed mission in five years. The Shenzhou-12 spacecraft was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre from northwest China’s Gobi Desert. The launch was shown live in the state-run CGTN-TV. The launch was declared success after 7 minutes of launching.

This is China’s  first in nearly five years after the country’s last manned mission in 2016.

The three astronauts , Nie Haisheng, a 56-year-old veteran  Liu Boming, 54, and Tang Hongbo, 45,were on board.