China will be sending a new team of astronauts to its space station today, as it sets its eyes on dethroning U.S dominance in the field.

Beijing has pumped billions of dollars into its space programme in recent years in an effort to achieve what President Xi Jinping describes as the Chinese people's space dream.

By the end of the decade, China is hoping to send a crewed mission to the moon and eventually build a base on the lunar surface.

China's space dream led by an all male-trio

This launch will mark one of China's biggest milestones, when the Shenzhou-20 million will ferry a team of three astronauts to China's self-built Tiangong space station.

The launch, scheduled for 5:17 p.m. local time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the remote northwestern desert.

The Shenzhou-20 crew will be led by veteran astronaut Chen Dong, embarking on his third mission, and joined by first-time spacefarers Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot, and Wang Jie, a former space technology engineer.

Just hours before the flight, the streets outside the space base were filled with hundreds of supporters who held bouquets and miniature national flags to see the astronauts off.

There was also a band playing a rousing military march as the trio, clad in white spacesuits, waved in front of a red banner proclaiming "Learn from our astronauts! Salute our astronauts!"

Many fans were also present at the site to send their well wishes to the astronauts, with the crowd shouting

"We wish you success!"

Live images on state television also showed the three astronauts arriving on the launch site on a bus, beyond which vast stretches of empty desert could be seen.

Fans and space enthusiasts were waiting for several hours just before the official launch just to catch a glimpse of their rocket perched on the horizon.

Six-month mission: science, spacewalks, and international collaboration

During their six-month stay, the new crew will conduct a range of scientific experiments in physics, life sciences, and medical technology.

For the first time, they will bring planarians—regenerative aquatic flatworms—aboard for life science research, alongside zebrafish and streptomyces bacteria.

The astronauts will also perform spacewalks, install protective equipment against space debris, and maintain the station’s systems.

Tiangong: A Symbol of China’s Space Leadership

Since being excluded from the International Space Station, China has focused on developing its own orbital outpost.

Tiangong, meaning “celestial palace,” was fully assembled in 2022 and can host up to six astronauts during crew rotations.

China has also opened its space station to international partners, with a Pakistani astronaut set to become the first foreign national aboard Tiangong in a future mission.

China’s space program is now the world’s third to independently send humans into orbit and land robotic rovers on the moon and Mars.

With nearly 200 international space cooperation agreements, China is positioning itself as a key player in the next era of space exploration, commercial satellite deployment, and lunar research.

As the Shenzhou-20 crew embarks on their journey, China’s “space dream” is moving closer to reality—fueling competition, innovation, and new partnerships in the global space race.