China unveils Shenzhou-14 crew for space station mission

This undated photo shows Chinese astronauts Chen Dong (C), Liu Yang (R) and Cai Xuzhe who will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission. Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission, and Chen will be the commander, the China Manned Space Agency announced at a press conference Saturday. (Xinhua)

JIUQUAN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission, and Chen will be the commander, announced the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) at a press conference Saturday.

Chen once participated in the Shenzhou-11 crewed spaceflight mission and Liu the Shenzhou-9 mission, and Cai is a newcomer to space, said Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, at the press conference.

The trio will stay in orbit for six months, Lin said.

The Shenzhou-14 crewed spaceship will be launched with a Long March-2F carrier rocket at around 10:44 a.m. Sunday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

The Shenzhou-14 mission will complete the construction of the Tiangong space station, with a basic three-module structure consisting of the core module Tianhe and the lab modules Wentian and Mengtian.

During their stay in orbit, the Shenzhou-14 crew will witness the two lab modules, Tianzhou-5 cargo craft and Shenzhou-15 crewed spaceship dock with the core module Tianhe. They will rotate with the Shenzhou-15 crew in orbit, and return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in December, Lin said.

This undated photo shows Chen Dong, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission. Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission, and Chen will be the commander, the China Manned Space Agency announced at a press conference Saturday. (Xinhua)

This undated photo shows Liu Yang, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission. Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission, and Chen will be the commander, the China Manned Space Agency announced at a press conference Saturday. (Xinhua)

This undated photo shows Cai Xuzhe, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission. Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe will carry out the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission, and Chen will be the commander, the China Manned Space Agency announced at a press conference Saturday. (Xinhua)