A three-member crew representing China, including the nation”s youngest astronaut, successfully docked with the Tiangong space station early Saturday morning. The mission, designated Shenzhou-21, included four laboratory mice as part of its scientific endeavors.
As reported by China”s Xinhua news agency, the Shenzhou-21 vehicle made contact with the space station at 3:22 AM local time, approximately three and a half hours following its launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China. The spacecraft was propelled into orbit by a Long March-2F rocket.
The Tiangong space station, which accommodates crews of three astronauts that rotate every six months, serves as the centerpiece of China”s ambitious space program, which has received substantial financial investment aimed at rivaling the capabilities of the United States and Russia.
Mission commander Zhang Lu, a seasoned astronaut, is joined by Wu Fei, a 32-year-old flight engineer who is China”s youngest astronaut to embark on a space mission, and Zhang Hongzhang, a 39-year-old payload specialist. The astronauts shared emotional farewells with their families and colleagues at the remote launch site as a band played a patriotic tune.
Zhang Lu expressed confidence about the mission”s success, stating, “I believe we will report back to our motherland and its people with complete success.” Meanwhile, first-time astronaut Wu Fei described his feelings of “incomparably lucky” during a press briefing prior to launch.
The four laboratory mice, comprising two males and two females, are set to be the subjects of China”s initial in-orbit experiments on rodents. This mission is a part of China”s broader “space dream” initiative, which aims for significant milestones in space exploration.
Beijing”s space program marks the third successful endeavor to send humans into orbit, following the United States and the former Soviet Union. Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has accelerated its efforts to fulfill its space ambitions, achieving remarkable milestones such as the Chang”e-4 probe landing on the far side of the Moon in 2019 and a successful robot landing on Mars in 2021.
On Thursday, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) revealed plans for a series of “crucial upcoming tests” in preparation for a goal of sending a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030. In addition to conducting scientific experiments, the Shenzhou-21 crew is expected to perform spacewalks and install protective shields against space debris on the exterior of the Tiangong station.
The astronauts are also tasked with engaging in “popular science education,” as the CMSA seeks to nurture future talent in space exploration, both domestically and internationally. Since 2011, when the United States barred NASA from working with China, the latter has been actively pursuing partnerships with other nations, including a recent agreement with Pakistan to recruit the first foreign “taikonauts.”
