China’s Shenzhou-18 spacecraft has successfully lifted off, carrying three astronauts on a six-month-long mission to the Tiangong space station. The crew will conduct scientific experiments, spacewalks, and routine maintenance tasks while in orbit. This launch comes as China continues to make strides in its crewed lunar program, with plans to send astronauts to the moon before the end of the decade. Meanwhile, the United States is facing delays with its own Artemis III mission to return astronauts to the lunar surface.
