China launches Shenzhou-20 mission to Chinese space station, state media reports

Astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie attend a see-off ceremony for the Shenzhou-20 spaceflight mission at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China Apr 24, 2025. China Daily via REUTERS

China sent three astronauts to its permanently inhabited space station on Thursday, in its 15th crewed spaceflight and the 20th overall in the Shenzhou program that started over three decades ago.

The spacecraft Shenzhou-20 and the crew lifted off atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China at 5:17pm (0917 GMT), according to state broadcaster CCTV.

State news agency Xinhua reported soon afterwards that the launch was successful.

The launch comes as China's advances in lunar and space exploration are drawing in more countries.

Pakistan is carrying out a preliminary selection of astronauts, one of whom will eventually be sent to space on a future Shenzhou spaceflight and become the first foreign astronaut to enter China's Tiangong space station.