China is preparing to launch its longest-ever crewed space mission on Sunday, marking a significant milestone in its spaceflight history. For the first time, one astronaut will remain aboard the orbital station for a full year, as scientists aim to study the long-term effects of prolonged space travel on the human body.
Shenzhou-23 Mission Details
The Shenzhou-23 mission, part of the China Manned Space Programme, will be launched by the 203-foot-long (62 meters) Long March 2F rocket at 11:08 PM GMT from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The crew includes commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Yuanzhi, and payload specialist Li Jiaying, a former Hong Kong police officer who will become the first astronaut from the city to participate in a Chinese space expedition.
US-China Lunar Race Intensifies
This development comes amid the intensifying race between the US and China to achieve a successful crewed moon landing. While China aims for a crewed moon mission by 2030, NASA plans to accomplish it two years earlier, boosting its mission to send astronauts to Mars. For China, a successful crewed landing before 2030 would support its plans to establish a permanent base on the moon by 2035, in collaboration with Russia.
China's Improving Space Capabilities
Shenzhou missions have been sending astronauts to the station for six-month periods since 2021. Prior to this, China launched Shenzhou-2 in November to bring back three Chinese astronauts to Earth after their Shenzhou-20 vessel was damaged by space debris in orbit. The Shenzhou-23 vessel has been improved with enhanced porthole protection against space debris.
The Chinese space agency is currently training two astronauts from Pakistan, and one of them is expected to participate in a planned mission to Tiangong this year for a short stay.
Though China has not sent humans to the moon, it has successfully sent multiple robotic landers and rovers as part of its ongoing Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. The country's successive Shenzhou missions reflect its consistent efforts to boost its space capabilities. In June 2024, it became the first country to recover lunar samples from the moon's far side, using robots.
