China launched the Shenzhou-23 mission carrying three astronauts to the Tiangong space station from the Jiuquan launch facility.The mission features Li Jiaying as the first astronaut from Hong Kong and includes a planned one-year stay in orbit to study long-term human physiological impacts.This flight performs critical autonomous docking tests as Beijing accelerates development for a crewed Moon landing slated for 2030.These technical advancements position the space program in direct competition with the US-led
Artemis mission scheduled for 2028.