Three Chinese astronauts launch into space Sunday

China will send three astronauts for its Shenzhou-14 space mission on Sunday, beginning their six-month stay in space to complete the construction of the three-module Tiangong space station.

Carried by a Long March 2F rocket, the Shenzhou-14 spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 10:44 Sunday from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, spokesperson Lin Xiqiang of China Manned Space Engineering Office announced on Saturday.

The Shenzhou-14 crew consists of two veteran astronauts Chen Dong and Liu Yang with Cai Xuzhe, 46, for who it is his first time to spaceflight.43-year-old Chen, who conducted Shenzhou-11 mission in 2016, will lead the mission this time. Liu, also 43, was China's first female to travel to space during her Shenzhou-9 mission in 2012.