China to launch three taikonauts to Tiangong space station on Wednesday

The three taikonauts will conduct numerous scientific experiments during their six-month stay.

In Short

• Commander Cai Xuzhe is a veteran of the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022
• He will be joined by two first-time astronauts
• Taikonauts Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze were both born in the 1990s

China is preparing to launch its 14th crewed space mission on Wednesday, marking another milestone in its ambitious space program.

The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft will carry three astronauts to the Tiangong space station, where they will conduct numerous scientific experiments during their six-month stay.

Commander Cai Xuzhe, a veteran of the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022, will lead the expedition. He will be joined by two first-time astronauts, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, both born in the 1990s, making this the youngest crew China has sent to space.

Wang Haoze's participation is particularly noteworthy as she is currently China's only female spaceflight engineer. Her journey to the stars will make her the third Chinese woman to embark on a crewed spaceflight mission, following in the footsteps of Liu Yang and Wang Yaping.

Before joining the astronaut program, Wang Haoze worked as a senior engineer at the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology, where she contributed to the design of nuclear-powered rocket engines.

The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft is scheduled to launch atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China at 4:27 AM local time on Wednesday.

This mission represents the eighth visit to China's independently built Tiangong space station, showcasing the country's growing capabilities in space exploration and research.

The crew is expected to return to Earth in late April or early May 2025, concluding a mission that will further advance China's space program and contribute to scientific knowledge through the various experiments planned during their stay on the Tiangong station.