Live coverage: China to launch 3 taikonauts to the Tiangong space station

The trio of the Shenzhou-19 mission to the Tiangong space station salute before departing to the launchpad. Left to right: Wang Haoze, Chi Xuzhe (commander), Song Lingdong. Image: CCTV via livestream

Three of China’s taikonauts are preparing to journey to the Tiangong space station on the country’s eighth long-duration spaceflight.

Commander Cai Xuzhe will lead the roughly 6.5-hour Shenzhou-19 mission alongside Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze. They will ride aboard a LongMarch 2F Y19 rocket, which began fueling at about 9 a.m. BJT on Oct. 29 (9 p.m. EDT on Oct. 28, 0100 UTC on Oct. 29).

Liftoff from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China is set for 4:27 a.m. BJT on Oct. 30 (4:27 p.m. EDT, 2027 UTC on Oct. 29).

Xuzhe is making his second trip to space after previously flying on Shenzhou-14 in 2022. During that mission, the 44-year-old People’s Liberation Army Air Force pilot performed one spacewalk, amassing a little more than four hours in total.

Haoze is not only making her first trip to space, but according to the state-run news outlet, China Global Television Network (CGTN), she will also become the first female spaceflight engineer from China to go to space. She also holds the distinction of being just the third woman from China to head to orbital space, following in the footsteps of Liu Yang and Wang Yaping.

Lingdong, another Air Force pilot, will be making his first trip to space as well. As with Haoze, 34-year-old Lingdong also became part of the third group of taikonauts in 2020.

Speaking with the state-run news outlet, China Global Television Network (CGTN), he spoke about the aspiration of finally going to space.

“I flew at dawn once, reaching 20,000 meters, and saw the Earth’s curve. Watching the sunrise at that height made me feel both small and incredibly lucky,” Lingdong said. “Now, I’m thrilled to have the chance to see the grandeur of space from our space station.”

The trio of the Shenzhou-18 mission, Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, will return from the TSS after a brief handover with the incoming taikonauts.