UPDATE - China successfully launches 5th manned mission to its space station

UPDATES WITH OFFICIAL STATEMENT; REVISES DECK, LEDE; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - China successfully launched a spacecraft Tuesday carrying a three-man crew, including its first civilian, for its space station, the country’s space agency said.

The Shenzhou-16 spacecraft was launched onboard a Long March-2F carrier rocket at 9:31 a.m. (0131GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said in a statement.

"About 10 minutes later, the Shenzhou 16 manned spacecraft and the rocket were successfully separated and entered the predetermined orbit. The crew of the astronauts was in good condition and the launch was a complete success," it said.

The mission will conduct autonomous and fast rendezvous and docking with the space station assembly in line with the predetermined procedures, according to the CMSA.

The three – payload expert Gui Haichao, space flight engineer Zhu Yangzhu, and mission commander Jing Haipeng – will also carry onboard at least 10 paintings by African students to the Chinese Space Station, which the space agency earlier said will be displayed on the station's walls.

After completing their in-orbit rotation mission with the Shenzhou-16 crew, the Shenzhou-15 crew will return to the Dongfeng landing site in northern China.

The Shenzhou-16 crew is expected to remain in the space station for about five months.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid