What is China's 'space dream' and where it is headed?

Wang Yaping will become the first female Chinese astronaut to work on its unfinished space station.

The 41-year-old will stay at the space station for six months&nbsp;along with Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu.

She previously became China's second woman in space in 2013.

The three astronauts will travel in the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft will be launched at 00:23 a.m. Beijing time (1623 GMT) on October 16.

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Lin Xiqiang, the spokesman of the China Manned Space Programme, said ''Zhigang, 55, who hailed from China's first batch of astronaut trainees in the late 1990s, will be the mission commander for Shenzhou-13.''

"We will definitely encounter physical and psychological problems, as well as problems related to the equipment and facility," Zhai told reporters on Thursday.

"Whether we can complete this flight mission well, depends on our team, our tenacious will and the fighting spirit of our three crew members."

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The mission, known as Shenzhou-13, meaning "Divine Vessel" in Chinese, will be Zhai and Wang's second space mission and Ye's first.

China began construction of what will be its first permanent space station in April with the launch of Tianhe - the first and largest of the station's three modules.

Tianhe, slightly bigger than a city bus, will be the living quarters once the space station is completed.

China's heavily promoted space programme has already seen the country land a rover on Mars and send probes to the moon.

Beijing's desire for a human outpost of its own in Earth's orbit was fuelled by a US ban on its astronauts on the International Space Station.

The three-person crew on the previous Shenzhou-12 mission stayed in Tianhe for 90 days from June to September.

Wang Yaping will become the first female Chinese astronaut to work on its unfinished space station. The 41-year-old will stay at the space station for six months along with Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu.

Wang Yaping will become the first female Chinese astronaut to work on its unfinished space station. The 41-year-old will stay at the space station for six months along with Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu. She previously became China's second woman in space in 2013. The three astronauts will travel in the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft will be launched at 00:23 a.m. Beijing time (1623 GMT) on October 16. Also see| Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do Lin Xiqiang, the spokesman of the China Manned Space Programme, said ''Zhigang, 55, who hailed from China's first batch of astronaut trainees in the late 1990s, will be the mission commander for Shenzhou-13.'' "We will definitely encounter physical and psychological problems, as well as problems related to the equipment and facility," Zhai told reporters on Thursday. "Whether we can complete this flight mission well, depends on our team, our tenacious will and the fighting spirit of our three crew members." Also see | Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? The mission, known as Shenzhou-13, meaning "Divine Vessel" in Chinese, will be Zhai and Wang's second space mission and Ye's first. China began construction of what will be its first permanent space station in April with the launch of Tianhe - the first and largest of the station's three modules. Tianhe, slightly bigger than a city bus, will be the living quarters once the space station is completed. China's heavily promoted space programme has already seen the country land a rover on Mars and send probes to the moon. Beijing's desire for a human outpost of its own in Earth's orbit was fuelled by a US ban on its astronauts on the International Space Station. The three-person crew on the previous Shenzhou-12 mission stayed in Tianhe for 90 days from June to September.

Wang Yaping all set to become first female Chinese astronaut to work on its unfinished space station

Chinese astronauts are conducting their second spacewalk outside&nbsp;the Tiangong space station&nbsp;to add the finishing touches to a robotic arm.

The foray, the second spacewalk in two months and relayed on state television, is part of China's heavily promoted space programme which has already seen the nation land a rover on Mars and send probes to the moon.

In June, three crew arrived at the station, where they are set to remain in space for a total of three months in China's longest crewed mission to date.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/milestones-chinas-space-dreams-from-ground-zero-upwards-392152" hreflang="en">'Milestones': China's space dreams from ground zero upwards</a>

On Friday, astronauts Nie Haisheng and Liu Boming successfully exited the Tianhe core module to install foot stops and a workbench on the station's robotic arm, said the China Manned Space Agency in a statement.

Video footage showed the astronauts working outside the spacecraft while tethered to it with a long rope.

Their tasks also include working on a thermal unit and adjusting a panoramic camera, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

This marks only the third spacewalk for Chinese astronauts, after the first in 2008,&nbsp;when Zhai Zhigang made China the third country to complete a spacewalk after the Soviet Union and the United States.

The second took place in early July, when Liu and the third crew member Tang Hongbo left the station.

It is China's first crewed mission in nearly five years and a matter of huge prestige as the country marks the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese astronauts are conducting their second spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station to add the finishing touches to a robotic arm. The foray, the second spacewalk in two months and relayed on state television, is part of China's heavily promoted space programme which has already seen the nation land a rover on Mars and send probes to the moon.

Chinese astronauts are conducting their second spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station to add the finishing touches to a robotic arm. The foray, the second spacewalk in two months and relayed on state television, is part of China's heavily promoted space programme which has already seen the nation land a rover on Mars and send probes to the moon. In June, three crew arrived at the station, where they are set to remain in space for a total of three months in China's longest crewed mission to date. Also see | 'Milestones': China's space dreams from ground zero upwards On Friday, astronauts Nie Haisheng and Liu Boming successfully exited the Tianhe core module to install foot stops and a workbench on the station's robotic arm, said the China Manned Space Agency in a statement. Video footage showed the astronauts working outside the spacecraft while tethered to it with a long rope. Their tasks also include working on a thermal unit and adjusting a panoramic camera, state broadcaster CCTV reported. This marks only the third spacewalk for Chinese astronauts, after the first in 2008, when Zhai Zhigang made China the third country to complete a spacewalk after the Soviet Union and the United States. The second took place in early July, when Liu and the third crew member Tang Hongbo left the station. It is China's first crewed mission in nearly five years and a matter of huge prestige as the country marks the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese astronauts conduct second spacewalk outside planned Tiangong station

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What is China's 'space dream' and where it is headed?

Wang Yaping all set to become first female Chinese astronaut to work on its unfinished space station

Chinese astronauts conduct second spacewalk outside planned Tiangong station