See-off ceremony held for taikonauts of Shenzhou-18 mission

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (R), Li Cong (C) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

JIUQUAN, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission was held on Thursday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

At the command of Xu Xueqiang, commander-in-chief of China's manned space program, taikonauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu set off at 6:10 p.m. (Beijing Time).

As of Thursday, the Shenzhou-17 crew has stayed in the orbiting Tiangong space station for nearly six months and is preparing for the arrival of the Shenzhou-18 crew.

The Shenzhou-18 spaceship is slated to be launched at 8:59 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time), and the new crew will stay in orbit for six months.

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (R), Li Cong (C) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Chinese taikonaut Ye Guangfu (front) attends a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (C), Li Cong (R) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (C), Li Cong (R) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (L), Li Cong (C) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (R), Li Cong (C) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Bei He)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Bei He)

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (C), Li Cong (R) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Bei He)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Bei He)

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (L), Li Cong (C) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Chinese taikonauts Ye Guangfu (C), Li Cong (R) and Li Guangsu attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Bei He)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Bei He)

A see-off ceremony for three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Bei He)