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; cheering crowd waving national flags
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
9. Various of escorted motorcade leaving, heading for launch site, people cheering on side of road
10. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhu Yangzhu, commander, Shenzhou-23 spaceflight mission crew: "We can really feel everyone's enthusiasm, and we are deeply grateful to our motherland. As we embark on our space mission representing our country, we will spare no effort to succeed."
11. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhang Zhiyuan, Shenzhou-23 astronaut:
"Thank you to our country and the people for your support. We will certainly live up to our mission. Let's do our best!"
12. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lai Ka-ying, Shenzhou-23 astronaut:
"I feel great, and I can really feel everyone's enthusiasm. China's space station, here I come."
13. Astronaut singing patriotic song
14. Various of launch center, motorcade arriving
15. Various of astronauts walking, waving hands, cheering each other on
16. Various of astronauts taking elevator, getting out, walking
17. Various of Lai getting into orbital capsule with technicians' help, entering reentry capsule, sitting down
18. Various of Zhang getting into orbital capsule with technicians' help, sitting down in reentry capsule
19. Various of Zhu getting into orbital capsule with technicians' help, sitting down in reentry capsule
20. Launch tower unfolding
21. Shenzhou-23 crew in reentry capsule
22. Technician closing entry port
23. Various of launch tower unfolding
24. Launch tower
25. Engineer counting down
26. Chinese national flag on rocket
27. Astronauts saluting
28. Various of rocket blasting off
29. Spectators

China/In Space - May 24, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
30. Various of rocket ascending in flight
31. Separation of escape tower
32. Rocket in flight
33. Separation of boosters; picture-in-picture screen showing Shenzhou-21 crew members watching from space station
34. Shenzhou-23 astronauts aboard spaceship
35. Separation of rocket fairing
36. Split screen showing rocket in flight, astronauts aboard spaceship
37. Onboard camera showing second-stage engines shutting down
38. Split screens showing rocket-spaceship separation captured by onboard camera; Shenzhou-23 crew aboard spaceship
39. Onboard camera showing rocket-spaceship separation
40. Shenzhou-23 crew aboard spaceship
41. Split screens showing animation of solar panels unfolding, Shenzhou-23 crew aboard spaceship, Shenzhou-21 crew watching from space station
42. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhu Yangzhu, commander, Shenzhou-23 crewed mission:
"Shenzhou-23 crewed mission is reporting that the atmosphere in spacecraft cabin is normal and the astronauts are in good condition. Over."
43. Split screens showing animation of spaceship in flight, Shenzhou-23 crew aboard spaceship
44. Shenzhou-23 crew aboard spaceship opening their helmet visors
45. Split screens showing animation of spaceship in flight, Shenzhou-23 crew aboard spaceship

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, northwest China - May 24, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
46. Li Benqi from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center walking to podium
47. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Li Benqi from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center:
"Distinguished superiors and comrades, according to the rocket's flight data and calculations by the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center based on monitoring data, the Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket has accurately sent the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft to the predetermined orbit. The spacecraft is functioning normally. I hereby announce the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft launch mission a complete success."
48. Various of scientists, technicians applauding
49. Screen showing congratulatory message

China successfully launched its Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship on Sunday, sending three astronauts to its orbiting Tiangong space station.

The spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off at 23:08 Beijing Time (15:08 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, with the launch later being declared a "complete success" by the launch center.

The Shenzhou-23 crew consists of mission commander Zhu Yangzhu and fellow astronauts Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying, who is the first astronaut from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Earlier on Sunday, a special send-off ceremony was held for the astronauts before they departed for the launch site, with crowds of well-wishers gathering to see them off.

After lifting off as scheduled, the Shenzhou-23 spaceship separated from the rocket around 10 minutes after launch and later entered its designated orbit, and the astronauts are all in good condition, said the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship will adopt a fast, automated rendezvous and docking mode and dock with the radial port of the Tianhe core module approximately 3.5 hours after launch, forming a combination of three modules and three spacecraft.

After completing a handover of the Tiangong space station with the Shenzhou-21 crew, the Shenzhou-23 astronauts will start their mission, and one of them will conduct a one-year in-orbit stay, double the usual duration of previous Shenzhou missions.

The crew will conduct a number of experiments and applications in fields such as space life, human physiology, microgravity physics, and new space technologies, perform multiple extravehicular activities, and carry out tasks including the installation, commissioning, maintenance, and repair of equipment both inside and outside the spacecraft.

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.

To date, China has sent 30 astronauts into space on 47 missions. This mission marks the 644th flight of the Long March series of launch vehicles and the 23rd flight of the Shenzhou spacecraft.