Chinese astronauts training for space station crewed flights

A high-resolution photo of the surface of Mars taken by China’s Tianwen-1 probe as it orbits the planet (CNSA via AP)

China has said astronauts are training for four crewed missions this year as the country works to complete its first permanent orbiting space station.

The station’s core module, christened Tianhe, could be launched as soon as next month, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and foreign observers.