China on Sunday launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-14, sending three astronauts to its space station combination for a six-month mission.

Screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on June 5, 2022 shows three Chinese astronauts, Chen Dong (C), Liu Yang (R) and Cai Xuzhe, saluting after entering the space station core module Tianhe.

The three astronauts completed an average of 7,000 hours of required training, said Zhang Wanxin, deputy chief designer of the China manned space program's astronaut system, in a briefing before the launch.

"The space station will have more complex configurations that may increase the error probability," Huang said. "Therefore, they've been trained to respond to emergencies and eliminate troubles."

The three astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe share similar personality traits, Huang said, adding that they are extremely meticulous and conscientious, eager to learn and possess excellent team spirit. The Shenzhou-14 crew will rotate with the Shenzhou-15 trio in orbit, which poses a challenge to the space station's recycling and life support system.

(SOURCE: XINHUA)