China has sent three astronauts to its space station for a mission that could last up to a year. It is part of China’s plan to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030. The astronauts launched from northern China aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft and docked with China’s Tiangong space station. One crew member is expected to stay in space for a full year, the longest space mission China has ever conducted. Scientists want to study how long periods in space affect the human body. This research is important for future Moon missions and eventually Mars missions. China has rapidly expanded its space program over the last decade. It has built its own space station and successfully landed robotic missions on the Moon and Mars. It is now developing new rockets and spacecraft for human Moon landings.