China to send astronauts to space station later this month

The Shenzhou XVII mission is scheduled to launch this month to transport three astronauts to the Tiangong space station, according to China Central Television, the State broadcaster.

CCTV reported on Sunday that the Shenzhou XVII spacecraft will be lifted by a Long March 2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China's Gobi Desert to dock with the Tiangong station.

The Shenzhou XVII crew will take over the massive orbital outpost from their peers in the Shenzhou XVI mission, who have been in orbit for nearly five months, and will be tasked with conducting scientific experiments and technological tests, the report said.

The Tiangong currently is connected with two visiting craft, the Shenzhou XVI crew spaceship and the Tianzhou 6 cargo vessel.