China launches 3 astronauts for its space station

Beijing: China on Tuesday launched a spacecraft with a three-person crew to its under-construction space station amid intensifying competition with the United States.

The Shenzhou-15 spaceship carrying the aircraft was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China. It carried three astronauts -- Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming, and Zhang Lu. Fei will be the commander of the mission, Ji Qiming, assistant to the director of the CMSA, told the media.