China set to launch Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - China is set to launch the crewed Shenzhou-19 spacecraft.

Indigenously built Long March-2F rocket will carry the astronauts into space, with the launch expected to take place on Tuesday.

The new crew, whose identities have not been revealed yet, is set to be launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia and comprises three members of the People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps, locally known as taikonauts, on the eighth flight to the Tianhe core module.

The crew held a final joint rehearsal with the Long March-2F rocket staff in preparation for the launch.

On Saturday, space authorities held a full-system drill to verify the reliability and safety of each system for the launch.

The Shenzhou-19 crew members will take control of space operations from the Shenzhou-18 taikonauts who are preparing to return home after conducting six months of research in space.

Ye Guangfu and teammates Li Cong and Li Guangsu of the Shenzhou-18 crew are currently aboard China's indigenously built Tiangong space station.

Ye is a fighter pilot and veteran astronaut who took part in the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021, and becomes the first Chinese taikonaut to accumulate a total of 365 days in space.

Beijing launched the three-member crew on April 25.

Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Monday urged the US to “stop irresponsible statements and actions that promote space militarization and instead contribute to long-term peace and security in outer space.”

“The US has openly designated outer space as a combat domain, continues to expand its military presence there, forms military alliances, and advances space militarization, which seriously threatens the shared security and development interests of all countries,” Lin said, in response to reports that a potential US launch of new mobile satellite jammers targets China and Russia.