China News Service, Beijing, October 16th. Comprehensive news: At 0:23 on October 16, 2021, Beijing time, the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft carrying Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu was successfully launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. .

At 9:58, the three astronauts entered the Tianhe core capsule one after another, and the Chinese space station ushered in the second flight crew and the first female astronaut.

Many international media reports believe that this is the latest milestone in China's construction of a space power.

  On the evening of the 15th local time, the European Space Agency forwarded the video report of the Chinese media about the launch of the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft on the social platform Twitter for the first time, and sent a message to congratulate the Shenzhou 13 launch team.

  European Space Agency German astronaut Matthias Maurer sent a message on Twitter on the 15th local time to send blessings to the three astronauts.

He wrote: "I am very excited, my dear friend Ye Guangfu is finally going to space. He is the first Chinese astronaut to participate in the cave training of the European Space Agency, and when I was training in China for survival at sea, he was always careful. Take care of me, and so does Wang Yaping. Good luck to you three! I will also go to space to meet you soon."

  Reuters reported that during the Shenzhou 13 mission, the astronauts will be stationed in the Tianhe core module and will start a 6-month on-orbit stay to carry out manipulator operations, exit activities, and section transfers. Further verify a series of key technologies such as astronauts' long-term stay in orbit and regeneration and life support.

  According to the report, as the International Space Station retires in a few years, the China Space Station will become the only space station operating in Earth orbit.

The report also said that China’s late leader Mao Zedong lamented that “we can’t even send a potato into space” and that China’s aerospace engineering has made tremendous progress.

In October 2003, China became the third country in the world capable of sending astronauts to space after Russia and the United States.

  According to the Russian Satellite News Agency, the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft will achieve multiple firsts, namely the first autonomous and rapid radial rendezvous and docking with the three-cabin combination, the first long-term stay in orbit for 6 months, and the formation of 4 manned spacecraft. The combination has been flying in orbit for a long time, and for the first time has the emergency rescue capability of combining heaven and earth with multiple guarantees.

  Al Jazeera’s website reported that the three Chinese astronauts successfully stationed on the space station. This will be China’s longest manned mission so far, and it will also be "China’s latest milestone in building a space power."

  Singapore’s "Lianhe Zaobao" cited expert opinions that Shenzhou 13 and the Shenzhou 12 manned spacecraft launched in June this year belong to the same batch. The launch of Shenzhou 13 shows that the Shenzhou spacecraft has been mass-produced.

This means that China will be able to launch spacecraft to the space station on a regular basis, and undertake conventional tasks as well as unconventional tasks such as emergency launches.

  The report also pointed out that Wang Yaping was the first female astronaut to go to the Chinese space station.

The Shenzhou 13 mission has made special preparations for female astronauts, such as analyzing women's physiological and psychological characteristics and individual needs, and making corresponding designs and adaptive adjustments in terms of daily supplies, daily necessities, and health supplies.

  CNN reported that this is an important step for China's "young" space program, and China's space program is quickly becoming one of the most advanced programs in the world.

The report quoted the assessment of David Burbach, associate professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College: “What is really impressive is the speed of development of China’s space program. All important frontiers have made rapid progress." (End)