The Manned Space Program Agency (CMSA) announced that the spacecraft Shenzhou-12, carrying 3 astronauts into the first space station of China, was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert at 09:22 local time with the Long March-2F rocket. It was the first manned space mission launched by China after 5 years. The 3 astronauts aboard the spacecraft will stay in the Tianhe module for 3 months and will perform two spacewalks to install equipment on the space station during their mission. The first goal of the astronauts will be to open the 22.5-ton Tianhe module.