China's 12th manned spaceflight, the Shenzhou XVII mission, will launch on Thursday morning to transport a three-member crew to the Tiangong space station, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

▲ Chinese astronauts Tang Hongbo (C), Tang Shengjie (R) and Jiang Xinlin will carry out the Shenzhou XVII spaceflight mission. [Photo/Xinhua]

Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency, said at a news conference on Wednesday morning at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China that the crew members — mission commander Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo, Lieutenant Colonel Tang Shengjie and Lieutenant Colonel Jiang Xinlin — have been scheduled to ride onboard the Shenzhou XVII spaceship to be lifted by a Long March 2F carrier rocket at 11:14 am on Thursday from the oasis-like Jiuquan center in the barren Gobi Desert.

▲ Chinese astronaut Tang Hongbo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"After the Shenzhou XVII spacecraft enters its preset orbital position, it will activate the rapid rendezvous-docking mode and use about six and a half hours to approach and connect with the front port on the Tianhe core module," said the official.

▲ Chinese astronaut Tang Shengjie. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The two groups will live together for about four days to perform handover work and then the Shenzhou XVI astronauts will depart and fly back to Earth on Oct 31, according to Lin.

▲ Chinese astronaut Jiang Xinlin. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Tang Shengjie and Jiang are members of the third group of astronauts and the Shenzhou XVII will be their first time to reach Earth's orbit.

Source: CHINADAILY