The crew will work on Tiangong for six months, carrying out experiences in physics and life sciences and by installing protective equipment against space debris.
For the first time, they will also bring on board planarians – aquatic verses known for their regeneration capacities.
The team will also lead space walks, reconstruct supplies and will carry out general maintenance on the space station.
Three astronauts currently aboard Tiangong should return to earth on April 29 after completing the transfer procedures.
Bus loads of space enthusiasts awaited by a sterile highway several hours before Thursday's launch, braving the desert sun to have an overview of the perched rocket on the horizon.
A kiosk at the entrance to the launch base has made a fast trade in toy rockets and memories on the theme of the mission.
Jewelry
During a government tour on Wednesday afternoon on Wednesday afternoon, AFP journalists saw the rocket installed in a sky blue launch tower, surrounded by red flags while the blue combinations workers carried out final checks before the launch.
The Chinese space program is the third to put humans in orbit and also landed robotic Rovers on Mars and the Moon while seeking parity with the two most established celestial powers in the world, the United States and Russia.
Equipped by rotating teams of three astronauts every six months, Tiangong – whose name means “celestial palace” in Chinese – is the jewel in its crown.
China has been excluded from the international space station since 2011, when the United States has prohibited NASA from collaborating with Beijing.
He has since sought to bring other countries to his space program and, in February, signed an agreement with the long -standing ally of Pakistan to bring the first foreign astronaut aboard Tiangong.
As part of this process, “two Pakistani astronauts will be selected to come to China for training,” confirmed the CMSA on Wednesday.
