China Sends Two Astronauts on Its Longest Space Mission

China's official news agency, Xinhua, reports that two astronauts from the country set off on Monday, October 18, to a research center to conduct China's longest space mission. Jing Haipeng, the mission commander, and Chen Dong, another astronaut, were sent into space from the Gobi Desert in the north of the country by the Chinese rocket Shenzhou-11. Chen and Jing are heading to the space laboratory 'Tiangong-2', which was launched into orbit last month. Both will stay in this laboratory for 30 days. This is the longest mission that Chinese astronauts have embarked on to orbit the Earth. Mr. Jing, a veteran astronaut and mission commander, will celebrate his 50th birthday in space. This is his third trip to Earth orbit. According to the China Daily newspaper, Jing Haipeng stated that although this mission is very challenging and dangerous, 'there is nothing else I would rather do.' The New York Times described China's new space mission as 'another step in the country's ambitious program beyond Earth.' The current mission of Jing and Chen is the sixth manned space mission for China, and their 30-day presence will double the previous record for the East Asian giant in Earth orbit. Reports indicate that the main tasks for these two astronauts in 'Tiangong-2' will include testing computers, propulsion systems, life support necessities, and other experiments. In fact, these activities are intended to assist China in sending the advanced space station 'Tiangong-1'. The spacecraft is scheduled to be launched into space in 2018. China first sent a probe to the moon in 2013 and is planning to send another probe in 2018 to a region farther from Earth's moon. The country is also working to send an unmanned spacecraft to Mars by 2020 and a manned mission to the moon by 2025.