Lin Xiqiang, Deputy Director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, announced that the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft will be sent into space in October. Lin Xiqiang stated that China's Tiangong space station will perform two crew rotations and 1 to 2 replenishments each year during the implementation and development phase.
Three taikonauts will be aboard the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft, which will launch in October from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The three taikonauts currently aboard the Shenzhou-16 mission aboard the Tiangong Space Station are scheduled to return to the Dongfeng Landing Site in November.