China's Shenzhou 23 astronaut mission launched Sunday (May 24) to relieve an overdue crew on the Tiangong space station.

China launched the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft Sunday night with three astronauts heading to its space station, including one set to stay in space for a year. The spacecraft blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China.

China sends three astronauts to the Tiangong space station, with one expected to stay for up to a year :: Jiuquan Launch Center, China / May 24, 2026 :: The launch comes as Beijing works

China launched its Shenzhou-23 mission on Sunday, which will see a Chinese astronaut spend a full year in orbit for the first time, a crucial step in Beijing's ambition to send humans to the Moon by 2030.

JIUQUAN, China - China launched its Shenzhou-23 manned spaceship Sunday night, aiming to have one astronaut stay for a year-long mission instead of the usual six-month stint, amid a continuing space development race between Beijing and Washington.

China launched its crewed Shenzhou-23 spacecraft and eased it into a successful docking with a space station early Monday as part of Beijing's ambitions to send humans to the Moon by 2030, state media said.

China launched the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft Sunday night with three astronauts heading to its space station, including one set to stay in space for a year.

China successfully launched another spacecraft Sunday that is set to carry three astronauts to its space station. One crew member aboard the Shenzhou 23 is expected to remain in space for one year, which would be among the world's longest single stays in space.