China’s Historic Milestone: Launching Its First Civilian into Space

China sends first civilian astronaut to space as Shenzhou-16 blasts off. China sent its first civilian astronaut into orbit on Tuesday, as it launched the Shenzhou-16 mission to its space station for its second in-orbit crew rotation, marking another step forward for the country’s ambitious space program.

China's focus on establishing a permanent space station, such as the Tiangong station, and its plans for a manned mission to the Moon by the end of the decade demonstrate the country's determination to become a major player in space exploration.