Shenzhou 11, prepares space mission to the moon and to Mars

Two astronauts, Jing and Chen, will stay in space for 33 days. They will conduct studies and pharmaceutical, physical and biological tests. Congratulations from President Xi Jinping: "A new contribution to building China as a space power."

 

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - This morning at 7:30 am, China launched the Shenzhou space mission 11 from the Jiuquan space center (Inner Mongolia), with two men on board to develop the skills of the country in space exploration.

The two astronauts - Colonel Jing Haipeng, 49, and Major General Chen Dong, 37, - will dock at the experimental space station Tiangong2 and will stay in space for 33 days. They will conduct studies and pharmaceutical, physical and biological tests.

This, as well as more launches before and after, will be used to study the possibility of space missions with astronauts on the moon and Mars.

State media published President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message to the astronauts, stressing that this mission "will give a new contribution to building China as a space power."

Since 2003, with the first flight around the Earth, China has invested a lot of effort and funds in its space program. For this year are at least 20 missions program.

China, along with Russia and the United States is the third country to carry out space missions with men on board. In 2013 one probe, the "Jade Rabbit", managed to land on the moon sending back data and pictures.

The two astronauts are in good condition and very well prepared. Jing already has two space flights to his credit; Chen is on his first mission.

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