China has broken yet another record with its recent launch of its youngest-ever astronaut crew. On April 29th, the unmanned Shenzhou 12 spacecraft carried two astronauts into space, as it embarked on a mission to join the Tiangong Space Station in Low Earth Orbit.
The two astronauts, Chen Dong and Zhang Tianhe, are both mid-30s engineers from China’s elite astronaut corps. Chen Dong is the pilot and Zhang Tianhe is the mission commander. This is the fourth human spaceflight mission manned by China’s Astronaut Corps and is a significant milestone in the country’s space program.
The launch of the Shenzhou 12 marked the beginning of the Tianhe mission, which will see the astronauts spending 66 days aboard the Tiangong Space Station. The astronauts will conduct a set of experiments at the station, related to biology, zero-gravity physics, and long-term space missions.
The two astronauts are being supported by a team of specialists on the ground, located at the China Manned Space Center in Beijing. This skilled team of engineers is helping to ensure the mission proceeds without any issues, and they have already been responsible for conducting a series of tests on the spacecraft prior to launch.
During the mission, the spacecraft and the astronauts will be monitored and controlled by ground-based communications systems in Beijing and in Shanghai. This includes the tracking of the spacecraft’s altitude and orientation, as well as the receipt of communications from the on-board crew.
The Shenzhou 12 will remain docked at the Tiangong Space Station until June 25th, when it will begin its return journey back to Earth. On July 5th, the spacecraft is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and land in Inner Mongolia. It will then be transported back to the China Manned Space Center in Beijing, where the astronauts will be reunited with their families and colleagues.
The successful launch of the Shenzhou 12 marks a milestone for China, as the nation looks to cement its place as a major player in the global space exploration industry. As the mission proceeds, the Chinese public will be eagerly awaiting news of the astronauts’ safe return.