Astronauts of China's Shenzhou-23 mission meet press

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

JIUQUAN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 spaceflight mission, met the press on Saturday.

The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 11:08 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency announced at a press conference earlier on Saturday.

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

Astronaut for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, meets the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on May 23, 2026. Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, met the press on Saturday. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Astronaut for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission Zhu Yangzhu meets the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on May 23, 2026. Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, met the press on Saturday. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Astronaut for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission Zhang Zhiyuan meets the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on May 23, 2026. Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, met the press on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)

Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R) and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, for the upcoming Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen)