Shenzhou-20 Crew Enters China’s Space Station
China’s Shenzhou-20 astronauts entered the Tiangong space station early Friday and began a new crew handover with the Shenzhou-19 team already on board. This marks the start of a new phase in China’s space mission operations.
Mission commander Chen Dong, along with astronauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, joined the orbiting lab after a fast automated docking with the station’s Tianhe core module. The docking occurred at 23:49 on Thursday, Beijing Time.
Crews Meet and Begin Work
At 01:17 on Friday, the Shenzhou-19 crew opened the hatch to welcome the new arrivals. The moment was confirmed by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Together, all six astronauts took group photos and sent greetings to mission control on Earth.
For the next five days, both crews will live and work side by side. Their joint tasks include transferring duties and completing scheduled operations as part of the in-orbit handover.
Launch Details from Jiuquan Base
The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft lifted off at 17:17 on Thursday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China. The launch used a Long March-2F carrier rocket, according to the CMSA.
This successful mission continues China’s steady progress in space exploration and ensures the Tiangong station remains constantly manned.
with inputs from Reuters
