China’s New Space Station Is Set to Welcome Its First Crew
June 16, 2021 at 01:07PM JIUQUAN, China — The three members of the first crew to be sent to China’s space station say they’re eager to get to work making their home for the next three months habitable, setting up testing and experiments and preparing for a series of spacewalks. The three met with reporters Wednesday from inside a germ-free glassed-in room, hours before they are due to blast off on Thursday morning. “First of all, we need to arrange our home in the core module, then get started on a whole range of diagnostic tests on crucial technology and experiments,” said mission commander Nie Haisheng, the most senior of the three who is making his third trip to space. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “The task is very arduous and there are many challenges. My colleagues and I will cooperate closely, operate carefully and overcome all difficulties,” Nie said. Unsurprisingly, all said they had complete confidence in the mission, which carries special political meaning ...