The Chinese crewed mission Shenzhou-21 took off on Friday at 23:44 local time (15:44 GMT), carrying three astronauts, including the youngest ever to represent the Asian nation.
The mission is headed to the Tiangong space station, propelled by the Long March 2F Y21 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center located in the Gobi Desert in the northwest of China. This six-month mission will involve scientific research and extravehicular activities.
The crew includes Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang, with Zhang Lu serving as the mission commander. This launch marks the thirty-seventh flight in China”s human spaceflight program and the sixth mission in the application and development phase of the Tiangong station.
Zhang Lu returns to space after more than two years, having previously participated in the Shenzhou-15 mission, while Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang are on their inaugural flights. According to the Chinese Manned Space Agency, the trio represents the three active categories within the astronaut corps: Zhang Lu as pilot, Wu Fei as flight engineer, and Zhang Hongzhang as payload specialist.
At the age of 32, Wu Fei has made history as the youngest astronaut in China”s space program, symbolizing a new generation that is beginning to consistently engage with the space initiative.
Prior to the launch, a ceremony celebrated the astronauts” departure to the launch pad, marked by patriotic music and applause from the center”s staff. This event coincided with the 16th anniversary of the death of Qian Xuesen, who is regarded as the “father of the Chinese space program.” During the ceremony, the crew paid tribute to the scientist by placing a flower before boarding the spacecraft.
During their approximately six-month stay at the Tiangong station, the astronauts will undertake 27 new scientific and application projects, including several notable firsts. These include the utilization of a new model of extravehicular suit, the care of four mice sent aboard for biological experiments, and conducting a food preparation experiment in microgravity, which will feature the first barbecue in orbit.
The crew will also install debris protection devices and external cargo modules, along with engaging in educational outreach activities from space.
Following the launch, Shenzhou-21 will dock with the Tiangong space station, where it will temporarily coexist with the crew of Shenzhou-20 for a few days before taking control of the facility.
The Tiangong, meaning “Heavenly Palace” in Chinese, is designed to operate for at least ten years and could become the world”s only inhabited space station once the International Space Station is decommissioned, anticipated by the end of this decade.
This week, China affirmed that preparations for its crewed lunar exploration program are proceeding smoothly, maintaining the goal of landing astronauts on the Moon before 2030, as explained by Zhang Jingbo, a spokesperson for the Chinese Manned Space Agency. In recent years, Beijing has intensified its space program with ambitious missions, including the Chang”e 4 lunar landing on the far side of the Moon and the arrival of Tianwen-1 on Mars, as well as plans to construct a scientific base at the lunar south pole in collaboration with other countries.
