China reveals new team of astronauts for space station launch
April 23, 2025
China announced Wednesday the members of a three-person crew that will be launched to its space station as part of its growing exploration of space.
The Shenzhou 20 mission's astronauts are Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, linear Xiqiang, deputy director general of China Manned Space Agency. They will replace three astronauts currently on the Chinese space station. Like those before them, they will stay there for roughly six months.
The three will launch for space Thursday evening in China, from Jiuquan, on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China.
Chen Dong previously served on the Shenzhou 11 and Shenzhou 14 missions. His two crewmates will be making their first trips to space. Chen Zhongrui was an air force pilot, and Wang Jie is an engineer with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
"I feel incomparable pride and accomplishment to go to space for my country again," Chen Dong told reporters on Wednesday. "Each journey to space is unparalleled; I'm looking forward to gaining more experience and more breakthroughs through this flight."
While in space, the astronauts will carry out experiments in space medicine and space technology; perform extravehicular trips; and make improvements to the space station.
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