China's space station was successfully docked by three astronauts, according to state media. This is Beijing's longest-running crewed mission and the latest milestone in its quest to be a major space power.
According to state-run news agency Xinhua, the three rocketed off Saturday at 1600 GMT from Jiuquan, a launch center in northwestern China's Gobi desert. The team is expected to spend six months at Tiangong space station.
According to Xinhua, China Manned Space Agency declared the launch a success, and stated that the crew members were in good health.
The Shenzhou-13 vessel that carried the three men then docked with the radial port at the space station a few hours later, Xinhua stated in a short dispatch Saturday morning.
This mission will take twice the time as its predecessor, which lasted 90 days. It will be used to test technology and set up equipment for future construction at Tiangong station.
Zhai Zhigang (55), a former fighter pilot, stated that the mission commander would lead more complicated spacewalks than in previous missions.
Wang Yaping (41), a military pilot, is part of the astronaut team. She became China's second woman in space in 2013 and is now the first woman to visit space station.
Ye Guangfu (41), a Peoples Liberation Army pilot, is the other member of the team.
After three months in space, a record-breaking crew made the first Tiangong mission. They returned to Earth in September to complete the mission.
China's highly promoted space program has already led to the country landing a rover and sending probes to the Moon.
Tiangong, which means "heavenly palace", is expected to continue operating for at least ten years.
The station's core module was launched into orbit in January. It is expected to be operational by 2022.
The station will look similar to the Soviet Mir station, which orbited Earth between the 1980s and 2001.
According to Chen Lan, an independent space analyst at GoTaikonauts and AFP, the long mission will expand China's technological frontier and confirm space station systems capability for a longer duration human occupation.
Chen stated that it doesn't seem very difficult because China's technology is mature. However, anything in space is always challenging.
Saturday's launch came just after China launched its first space-based solar exploration satellite, equipped with a telescope that can observe the Sun.
Through the end of next years, the Chinese space agency plans to launch 11 missions to Tiangong. These will include at least two crewed launches. Two lab modules will be delivered to increase the station's 70-tonne capacity.
China's ambitions in space have been fuelled partly by the US ban on its astronauts from the International Space Station. This collaboration between the United States and Russia, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Canada has led to China's ambitious goals.
NASA says the ISS will be retired after 2024. However, NASA claims it may still be functional beyond 2028.
Chinese space officials have stated that they are open for foreign collaboration on the station's construction, though the extent of such cooperation is still unclear.
Since 1970, when the country launched its first satellite, it has come a long ways.
It sent the first Chinese taikonaut into space in 2003, and in 2019, it landed the Change-4 robot on far side of Moon. This was a historic first.
China became the second nation in May to launch and operate a Mars rover.
The Tiangong space station will offer separate living areas, exercise equipment, and a communication center for email and video calls with ground control.
