China launches Shenzhou-23 spacecraft to Tiangong station

China has launched the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft carrying three taikonauts to the Tiangong national space station. One of the crew members is set to remain aboard for a full year.

China successfully launched the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft, sending three taikonauts on a mission to the country's Tiangong orbital space station. The launch marks another milestone in China's rapidly expanding space program.

One of the three taikonauts aboard the spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the Tiangong station for an extended one-year stay, an unusual duration that will help researchers study the long-term effects of spaceflight on the human body.

Tiangong, meaning "Heavenly Palace," has been continuously crewed since 2021 and serves as a cornerstone of China's ambitions to become a major spacefaring nation. The station operates independently from the International Space Station, to which China has been denied access.