China sends its youngest-ever crew to space as it seeks to put astronauts on moon before 2030

BEIJING (AP) — China has launched its youngest-ever crew for its orbiting space station as it seeks to put astronauts on the moon before 2030. The Shenzhou 17 spacecraft lifted off from the launch center on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China atop a Long March 2-F rocket Thursday morning. The China Manned Space Agency said the average age of the three-member crew is the youngest since the launch of the space station construction mission. State media China Daily said their average age is 38. Beijing and Washington are competing to reach new milestones in outer space among other fields.