China to Launch Manned Space Mission on October 26

China is set to launch the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft carrying a three-member crew bound for the Tiangong space station. 

Announced by Deputy Director of the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), Lin Xiqiang, the launch is scheduled for Thursday, with liftoff expected at 11:14 a.m. local time (03:14 GMT) on October 26.

The crew of the Shenzhou-17 includes cosmonauts Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin, with Tang Hongbo serving as the mission's commander, as revealed during a press conference held by Lin.

China has extended invitations to foreign astronauts to partake in its space missions, particularly from nations dedicated to the peaceful exploration of space, noted the CMSA deputy director.

The launch will be conducted from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in northwestern China, using a Long March-2F carrier rocket. 

Once onboard the Tiangong space station, the Shenzhou-17 crew will become the station's sixth team of cosmonauts, expected to carry out missions spanning approximately six months.

China's Tiangong space station, positioned in low Earth orbit between 210 and 280 miles above the Earth's surface, represents the nation's inaugural long-term orbital station. Its inaugural module, Tianhe, was successfully launched in 2021.