China launched the Shenzhou XIII manned spacecraft at 12:23 am Saturday by a Long March 2F carrier rocket at the Jiuquan center, carrying three astronauts who will stay inside the countrys Tiangong space station for six months.
周六上午12点23分，中国在酒泉卫星发射中心用长征2F运载火箭发射了神舟十三号载人飞船，搭载了三名宇航员，他们将在中国天宫空间站停留六个月。
It is expected to become the longest space journey by Chinese astronauts, doubling the time of their peers in the Shenzhou XII mission. It is transporting Major General Zhai Zhigang, the mission commander, Senior Colonel Wang Yaping and Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu to Tiangongs core module Tianhe, or Harmony of Heavens.
Wang is Chinas second female astronaut to participate in a spaceflight and was a member of the Shenzhou X mission in June . She will become the first Chinese woman to enter the Tiangong space station and conduct a spacewalk.
Zhai is the countrys first astronaut to take a spacewalk, having done so when he was mission commander during the Shenzhou VII mission in September . Ye is making his first journey to space.
