China's Ambitious Space Program Continues to Soar with Milestone Missions

China launched its Shenzhou-16 mission to its Tiangong space station, marking its fifth manned mission to the station since 2021. The three astronauts aboard the spacecraft include the first Chinese civilian astronaut, Gui Haichao, who will operate payloads for space experiments. China has been rapidly advancing its capabilities in space, including the establishment of its Tiangong space station, which completed its basic construction last year and is expected to operate and host astronauts for at least a decade. The country also plans to have a manned lunar landing by 2030.