China has launched a fresh crew to its Tiangong space station, marking another milestone in its growing space ambitions. The Shenzhou-21 mission, which took off late Friday, includes China’s youngest astronaut and four lab mice set to take part in key experiments.
Who is part of the new space crew?
The Long March-2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou-21 crew lifted off at 11:44 pm (1544 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, AFP journalists reported. Mission commander and veteran astronaut Zhang Lu leads the team, joined by flight engineer Wu Fei, 32, the youngest Chinese astronaut ever sent into space, and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, 39. The trio waved goodbye to their families and colleagues at the launch site in the Gobi Desert as patriotic music played in the background.
What is the purpose of the Shenzhou-21 mission?
The three astronauts will conduct scientific research, carry out spacewalks, and install anti-debris shields on the station’s exterior. The crew will also focus on “popular science education”, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), which hopes to inspire a new generation of scientists and astronauts.
The four mice aboard the spacecraft—two male and two female—are part of China’s first in-orbit biological experiments involving rodents. The studies aim to help scientists better understand how space affects living organisms.
How does this mission fit into China’s space goals?
China’s space programme, the third to send humans into orbit after the United States and the former Soviet Union, remains a major symbol of national pride. Under President Xi Jinping’s vision of achieving the “space dream”, Beijing has poured billions into expanding its capabilities.
In recent years, China has achieved several key milestones, including landing the Chang’e-4 probe on the far side of the Moon in 2019 and deploying a rover on Mars in 2021. The CMSA said the latest mission will support crucial tests for its long-term lunar goals, including a planned crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and eventually building a base on its surface.
What’s next for China’s space programme?
While China has been barred from participating in the International Space Station since 2011 due to a US ban on NASA’s cooperation with Beijing, it has sought partnerships elsewhere. In February, China signed an agreement with Pakistan to recruit the first foreign “taikonauts” for future missions.
For now, Tiangong continues to serve as the heart of China’s growing presence in space, with teams rotating every six months. As Zhang Lu put it before launch, the crew aims to “report back to our motherland and its people with complete success.”
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