China sending up next space station crew in June

BEIJING (AP) — China says it will launch three more astronauts to its newest space station in June after the latest crew returned this weekend following a six-month stay in orbit. An official of the Chinese space program says the crew of Shenzhou 14 will stay aboard the Tiangong for six months to work on completing construction by adding two modules. The modules are expected to be launched in July and October. China’s ambitious space program launched its first astronaut into orbit in 2003 and landed robot rovers on the moon in 2013 and on Mars last year. Officials have discussed a possible crewed mission to the moon.