The rocket carrying the Shenzhou 15 spacecraft on its launch pad a few minutes before takeoff © CGTN
The star race is in full swing right now. While NASA’s Artemis program continues its course and the Orion spacecraft breaks records, China in turn launched its Shenzhou 15 mission this Tuesday, November 29, 2022.
At 11:08 p.m. Beijing time (4:08 p.m. in France), the Longue-Marche 2F Y-15 rocket carrying the Shenzhou 15 space shuttle successfully lifted off its launch pad from the Jiuquan satellite launch center. . The event was broadcast live on Chinese television and can be viewed on YouTube with commentary in French via the state channel CGTN-Français.
A Chinese ISS in just two years
The shuttle carries three “taikonauts” on board, Deng Qingming, Zhang Lu and Commander Fei Junlong who has already participated in the previous Shenzhou 6 mission. The other two members of the crew are performing their first space flight. The latter will remain six months in orbit around the Earth and will have to complete the construction of the Chinese space station (SSC), which began barely two years ago.
The rocket taking off with the Moon in the background. A meaningful plan that perfectly illustrates China’s ambitions for space exploration. © CGTN
“Upon arrival at the station, they will participate in the first orbital crew transfer with Shenzhou-14 crew members Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe preparing to return to Earth.”, explains CGTN. This is the 6th mission dedicated to the work of the station.
In addition to this project, China also aims to further explore the Moon and subsequently Mars. In 2019, she had achieved the historic feat of landing a rover on the hidden side of our natural satellite.