China is set to launch the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft at 5:17 pm on Thursday (Beijing Time) –the Space Day of China – from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China, Lin Xiqiang, a spokesperson of the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), announced on Wednesday.

Three taikonauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie will carry out the mission. Chen Dong, who has carried out the Shenzhou-11 and Shenzhou-14  missions, will be the commander, according to CMSA.

Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie are from China's third batch of taikonauts and are undertaking their first spaceflight mission this time. Chen Zhongrui was an air force pilot, while Wang was an engineer from China Academy of Space Technology.

Currently, the preparations are in order, the spokesperson said at a press briefing. The Long March-2F Y20 carrier rocket is scheduled to be fueled subsequently. 

The launch of Shenzhou-20 is the 35th flight mission of China's manned space program, and the fifth crewed mission during the application and development stage of China's space station. The crew is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in northern China in late October. 

The mission’s primary objectives include completing an in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-19 crew, staying at the space station for approximately six months, carrying out experiments in space science and applications and performing extravehicular activities and cargo in and out tests.

Shenzhou-19 crew plans to return to the Dongfeng landing site on April 29 after completing their handover to the Shenzhou-20 team, Lin said.

Speaking about biological experiments aboard the mission, Lin said that previous experiments with zebrafish and fruit flies had been very successful. This mission will carry out three more experiments using zebra fish, planarian, streptomycetes as research objects. Among them, the regeneration experiment involving planarians will be the first of its kind in China’s space program.

Thursday is also China’s Space Day, which marks the launch of its first satellite, "Dongfanghong-1," into space on April 24, 1970. Lin stressed that the selection of launch window is mainly based on mission requirements, and the launch window coincides with the 10th China’s Space Day, which adds a special significance to this mission.

Currently, the crewed spacecraft adopts a 6.5-hour fast, automated rendezvous and docking approach. The space station has implemented phase adjustments to match before the launch.

Lin said that the training of the fourth batch of taikonauts is progressing smoothly in line with the established plan. Hong Kong and Macao taikonauts, serving as load experts, are expected to carry out their first mission as early as 2026.

Moreover, the selection of Pakistani astronauts is now under way, which, like the selection of Chinese taikonauts, is divided into three phases, preliminary selection, re-selection and final selection. Among them, a preliminary selection will be carried out in Pakistan, a re-selection and finalization will be carried out in China, and two Pakistani astronauts will eventually be selected to participate in training in China, according to CMSA.

One Pakistani astronaut will participate in a joint flight as a payload specialist, and during the period in orbit, in addition to completing the daily work of the crew, the astronaut will also be responsible for the operation of scientific experiments on the Pakistani side, said Lin. 

“At the same time, we are in the process of consulting with the countries concerned on the participation of their astronauts in the flights of the China’s space station, and will release information on the relevant progress in due course.”