China announces success as its youngest astronauts successfully reach space

A Chinese spacecraft carrying a three-person crew, including the nation’s first female space engineer, has successfully docked after a journey lasting over six hours.

The astronauts will utilize China’s homegrown space station as a base for six months, conducting experiments and performing spacewalks as part of Beijing’s strategy to prepare for a lunar mission by 2030.

Beijing has declared the launch of Shenzhou 19 a “complete success.” This mission is part of a record 100 planned launches this year as China seeks to surpass the United States in space exploration.

The BBC gained rare access to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu, witnessing the spacecraft’s dramatic liftoff from just over a kilometer away. The rocket lit up the Gobi Desert as it roared into the sky, while hundreds gathered to cheer and wave at the taikonauts, China’s term for astronauts.

Upon arriving at the Tiangong space station, the Shenzhou 19 crew met three astronauts from Shenzhou 18, who are scheduled to return to Earth on November 4.

Just two years ago, President Xi Jinping proclaimed the pursuit of space exploration as part of China’s enduring dream to become a space power. However, some U.S. officials perceive China’s ambitions and rapid advancements as a significant threat. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has remarked that the U.S. and China are effectively in a race to return to the Moon, where he fears Beijing seeks to assert territorial claims.

In Dongfeng Space City, built to support the launch site, local enthusiasm for the space program is palpable. Streets are adorned with national flags, and children’s parks feature astronaut sculptures. As midnight approached, crowds gathered to wave flags and celebrate the taikonauts’ final steps on Earth, singing “Ode to the Motherland.”

The mission’s pilot, Cai Xuzhe, a veteran, is accompanied by a new generation of taikonauts born in the 1990s, including Wang Haoze. He expressed confidence in their youthful energy and their commitment to the mission.

Song Lingdong, another crew member, recalled his childhood excitement during early space missions and emphasized his dedication to serving the nation. All three astronauts convey a strong sense of national pride, with state media highlighting this as China’s youngest crew to date.

China has already selected its next group of astronauts for training, aiming for both lunar missions and continued operations aboard the space station.

Recent milestones in China’s space program include the retrieval of rock and soil samples from the Moon’s far side and a successful Mars landing with the Zhurong rover, making China the second nation to achieve this.

China’s space ambitions extend to a fleet of satellites and a plan to establish a broadband constellation to rival SpaceX’s Starlink. Some U.S. officials have raised concerns about potential militarization of this technology.

Li Yingliang, director of the general technology bureau of China’s Manned Space Agency, characterizes the country’s space exploration as a collaborative effort for humanity, asserting that China aims for peaceful use of space and intends to foster international cooperation.

The new space race is increasingly about resource control, with the Moon’s minerals and helium attracting attention for their potential value, estimated to be in the billions or even quadrillions.

Experts at the launch center highlighted the benefits of research conducted in the space station, particularly regarding health conditions like osteoporosis.

Despite their achievements, some officials, like Ding Chibiao from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have tempered expectations, acknowledging challenges in reaching lunar goals.

China is determined to realize its lunar ambitions, with President Xi prioritizing the space program despite economic slowdowns.

While international media are invited to witness these developments, access is tightly controlled. Reporters are transported under strict security, emphasizing the sensitivity surrounding China’s advancements.

As the rivalry with the United States intensifies, both nations may soon be competing for territorial claims beyond Earth.