China-Shenzhou-23/Astronauts Send-off
China-Shenzhou-23/Astronauts Send-off
Dateline : May 24, 2026
Location : China
Duration : 2'53
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, northwest China - May 24, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of send-off ceremony in progress; Shenzhou-23 astronauts Zhu Yangzhu (C), Zhang Zhiyuan (R), Lai Ka-ying (L) walking, waving to cheering crowd, standing in front of commander-in-chief of China's manned space program; cheering crowd waving national flags and taking photos
2. Zhu saluting to commander-in-chief
3. Commander-in-chief saluting to astronauts
4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhu Yangzhu, commander, Shenzhou-23 spaceflight mission crew; Zhang Zhiyuan, Lai Ka-ying, members, Shenzhou-23 spaceflight mission crew (starting with shot 3):
"Comrade commander-in-chief, we are following the order to implement the Shenzhou-23 manned spaceflight mission. And we are now ready to go, please give instructions! Astronaut Zhu Yangzhu."
"Astronaut Zhang Zhiyuan."
"Astronaut Lai Ka-ying."
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Commander-in-chief, China's manned space program (name not given):
"Proceed!"
6. Zhu saluting to commander-in-chief
UPSOUND (Chinese) Zhu Yangzhu, commander, Shenzhou-23 spaceflight mission crew:
"Yes!"
7. Commander-in-chief returning salute
8. Various of astronauts waving at cheering crowd, walking, boarding vehicle; crowd; astronauts giving thumbs up
9. Various of vehicle with astronauts on board leaving for launch site
A send-off ceremony for three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission was held on Sunday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship is scheduled to blast off at 23:08 Beijing Time Sunday (15:08 GMT) from the launch site to dock with China's Tiangong space station.
The three Chinese astronauts, commander Zhu Yangzhu, spacecraft pilot Zhang Zhiyuan and payload specialist Lai Ka-ying, reported to the commander-in-chief of China's manned space program that they were ready to undertake their mission.
After receiving an order from the commander-in-chief, the astronauts boarded a vehicle and departed for the launch site amid cheers from a crowd of well-wishers.
The three astronauts will take over command of China's Tiangong space station from the Shenzhou-21 crew currently in orbit, and one of them will conduct a one-year in-orbit stay, double the usual duration of previous Shenzhou missions.
Notably, astronaut Lai Ka-ying is also the first astronaut from China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Shenzhou-23 marks the 40th flight of China's manned spaceflight program, and the seventh manned flight mission since the Tiangong space station entered its application and development phase in late 2022.
ID : 8480986
Published : 2026-05-24 21:07
Last Modified : 2026-05-24 23:49:36
Source : China Central Television (CCTV)
Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland
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