The Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship launched Thursday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. It is China's seventh crewed mission to space, the first in five years, and the first servicing the construction of China's space station.

To find out more about how its three astronauts were selected, what tasks they’ll be carrying out, and how the Chinese Space Station will be used, we’ve invited Dr. Yang Yuguang, Professor of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation; Professor Bernard Foing, Director of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group; Professor Ulrich Walter of the Institute of Astronautics at Technical University of Munich, who is also a retired German astronaut.