Chinese astronauts training for space station crewed flights

BEIJING (AP) — China says a cohort of astronauts is 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, is to be launched in the first half of the year. That would be the first of 11 missions over the next two years to finish constructing the station by the end of 2022. Two other modules will be launched later, along with four cargo supply mission and the four crewed missions. At least 12 astronauts are training for the crewed missions, including veterans of previous flights, newcomers and women.