The team of the next manned mission to the Tiangong space station will include the youngest astronaut on a Chinese space mission. Four mice will also attend, the authorities announced on Thursday.
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The Shenzhou-21 mission It should take off on Friday at 10:44 p.m. local time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This in the northwest of the Asian country, announced Zhang Jingbo, spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency (AETEC).
The Tiangong space station, manned by teams of three astronauts who rotate every six months, is the crowning glory of the space program with which this nation seeks to catch up with the United States and Russia.
The new team will be headed by veteran space pilot Zhang Lu, who participated two years ago in the Shenzhou-15 mission.
They will accompany you cargo specialist Zhang Hongzhang and flight engineer Wu Fei, both on their first space flight.
Wu, who recently turned 32, will become the youngest Chinese astronaut to undertake a space missionthe authorities indicated.
In addition, four mice, two males and two females, will also attend this mission. with which they will be carried out the first Chinese experiments with rodents in orbitsaid Zhang.
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China aspires to send a manned mission to the Moon by 2030and intends to build a base on the lunar surface.
The AETEC affirmed on Thursday that it maintains that goal firmly and outlined a series of “crucial next tests” which he does as preparation.
(With information from AFP)