There are three cosmonauts on board.
The launch took place from the Jiuquan space center in Gansu province in northwestern China.
The Shenzhou-12 entered orbit and the launch has been recognized as successful, according to a Chinese manned flight program report.
Beijing successfully sent up the core module of its first space outpost, Tiangong, in late April. China state-run media report that it will take 12 missions to assemble the space station in lower Earth orbit, with the construction set to be completed by the end of 2022.
China on Thursday launched the crewed spacecraft #Shenzhou12, which is expected to send three astronauts to its space station core module #Tianhe for a three-month mission. pic.twitter.com/t0vXP45cL1
— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) June 17, 2021
#BREAKING: China successfully launches the crewed spacecraft #Shenzhou12 pic.twitter.com/AnOIMbOQlj
— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) June 17, 2021
