Update: China to launch Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship on April 24

JIUQUAN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 5:17 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Wednesday.

The spaceship will carry three astronauts -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie -- to carry out the Shenzhou-20 spaceflight mission, with Chen Dong serving as the commander, said CMSA spokesman Lin Xiqiang at a press conference.

He noted that the launch day coincides with China's 10th Space Day.

China designated April 24 as its Space Day in 2016 to mark the successful launch of its first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, on April 24, 1970.

Thursday's launch will use a Long March-2F carrier rocket, which will be filled with propellant soon, Lin said, adding that all preparation work is progressing smoothly.

Shenzhou-20 is the 35th flight mission of China's manned space program, and the fifth crewed mission during the application and development stage of China's space station.

The crew is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China in late October this year. ■