Beijing, Apr 23 (V7N) — A seasoned Chinese astronaut will lead a three-member crew to the Tiangong Space Station as part of the upcoming Shenzhou-20 mission, scheduled for launch on Thursday (April 24) at 5:17 p.m. local time (0917 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

The mission will be commanded by Chen Dong, a 46-year-old former fighter pilot and veteran astronaut. Chen made history in 2022 as the first Chinese astronaut to spend over 200 days in space, solidifying his role as a leading figure in China's space program.

Joining him on his latest mission are two first-time astronauts:

Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot in his 40s

Wang Jie, 35, a former aerospace engineer

The China Human Space Agency's Deputy Director Lin Shiqiang made the announcement at a press briefing on Wednesday. He confirmed that the current crew aboard the Tiangong Space Station will return to Earth on April 29, following a formal handover to the new team.

The mission is part of China’s continued efforts to advance its long-term human spaceflight program and establish Tiangong as a fully operational, permanently crewed orbital research hub.

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