China's Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft successfully launched today. The Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft was successfully launched into space on a Long March-09F Y31 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 2:16 today.
The orbiter spacecraft will dock with the Space Station according to the planned schedule. The Shenzhou-16 astronaut crew will replace the Shenzhou-15 astronaut crew in orbit.
The Shenzhou-16 astronaut crew will perform equipment assembly, testing, repair, and maintenance, as well as operating out of the cabin during the mission.
Shenzhou-16 undertook the first manned space mission of the China Manned Space Project after the space station entered the use and development phase, and is also the 29th launch after the implementation of the Manned Space Project. This was also the 475th space mission of the Long March carrier rockets.