Ye Guangfu (C), Li Cong (R) and Li Guangsu, the three Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission, meet the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, April 24, 2024. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua)

JIUQUAN, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, the three Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission, met the press on Wednesday.

The Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 8:59 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency announced earlier at a press conference on Wednesday.

Ye Guangfu, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission, meets the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, April 24, 2024. Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, the three Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission, met the press on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Bei He)

Li Guangsu, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission, meets the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, April 24, 2024. Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, the three Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission, met the press on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Bei He)

Li Cong, one of the three astronauts who will carry out the Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission, meets the press at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, April 24, 2024. Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, the three Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission, met the press on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Bei He)