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Tianzhou-9 departs Tiangong on May 6 ahead of the Tianzhou-10 launch (Credit: CMSA\/Xinhua)<\/p>\n
The current crew aboard the station is the tenth to visit Tiangong, although they will be departing on a different spacecraft from the one that carried them there. The trio launched aboard the Shenzhou-21 mission on Oct. 31 last year, and would typically expect to stay in orbit for six months. Rather than departing the station in April, their mission has been extended to run into May and potentially until early June.<\/p>\n
Their ride home will be aboard the Shenzhou-22 craft, which was launched uncrewed last November as an \u2019emergency response\u2019. This followed the decision to return the Shenzhou-20 craft to Earth uncrewed when damage from a suspected orbital debris impact was discovered on its porthole window, rendering the capsule unsafe to return with crew. Shenzhou-20\u2019s crew instead returned to Earth aboard Shenzhou-21.<\/p>\n
While in orbit, the astronauts have been conducting microgravity experiments and training to use the remotely operated rendezvous and docking system. Zhang Lu and Wu Fei conducted a third extravehicular activity (EVA) from the station on April 16, conducting routine maintenance and the application of further debris protection using the station\u2019s robotic arm. The spacewalk lasted seven hours and was Zhang Lu\u2019s sixth such excursion.<\/p>\n
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Wu Fei during the Shenzhou-21 crew\u2019s third EVA, mid-April (Credit: CMSA)<\/p>\n
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has yet to declare an official launch date for Shenzhou-23, and will typically wait until around one day before launch to announce the crew assignments for human spaceflight missions. One of the Shenzhou-23 crew is expected to become the first Chinese astronaut to make a year-long stay in orbit, making space for a Pakistani astronaut to visit the station for a short-duration stay, arriving on the subsequent Shenzhou-24 mission.<\/p>\n
The names of Pakistan\u2019s two astronaut candidates were announced on April 22. Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, both pilots in Pakistan\u2019s armed forces, were named by the country\u2019s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). They will train in China as Payload Experts before one of the pair joins two Chinese crewmembers for launch aboard Shenzhou-24, staying aboard the Tiangong station for around a week to perform experiments. They would then return with the Shenzhou-23 crew.<\/p>\n
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Mission Patches (left to right) for Tianzhou-10, SatNet LEO Group 21, SatNet tests aboard CZ-2D and Jielong-3, and PRSC-E03) (Credit: CMSA\/CAST\/SAST)<\/p>\n
The Chang Zheng 2F\/G launch vehicle for Shenzhou-24 recently arrived at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 22, where it is undergoing inspection and preparations ahead of its launch in the second half of this year. China and Pakistan have been steadily nurturing a working partnership on space projects, moving from satellite support to a deeper collaboration on missions such as this.<\/p>\n
China launched a fifth Earth monitoring satellite for Pakistan from Taiyuan on April 25, atop the Chang Zheng 6\u2019s 15th \u2014 and rumored to be final \u2014 flight. The vehicle was introduced in 2015 as China began a migration away from hypergolic propellants and towards engines such as the YF-100, which burn liquid kerosene and oxygen. With the workhorse Chang Zheng 3B and 2D vehicles still in active service, the transition to cleaner liquid propellants is still ongoing.<\/p>\n
Another cargo resupply craft, which was launched on March 30 from Jiuquan, has been performing well in orbit. The prototype Qingzhou (\u201cLight Ship<\/em>\u201c) craft launched aboard the maiden flight of CAS Space\u2019s Lijian-2 (or Kinetica-2) and will remain in orbit for up to three years, verifying key technologies and conducting 27 experiments.<\/p>\n The Qingzhou demonstrator during preparations before launch in February (Credit CCTV)<\/p>\n While the craft is designed to be a lightweight and low-cost cargo supply freighter to complement Tianzhou, this first demonstrator will not dock at Tiangong. A second Qingzhou is entering production and is expected to launch aboard another Lijian-2, though the craft has been designed so it can be carried by other launch providers as well. Last month, CAS Space opened a Super Factory in Zhejiang, which \u2014 working alongside its existing facility in Guangzhou \u2014 will enable it to ramp up production.<\/p>\n With a mass of 4,200 kg, the Qingzhou design accommodates nine cubic meters of stowage volume, with a four-tier rack system that can store equipment or supplies in 40 standard slots. The prototype is currently orbiting at around 600 km in a Sun-synchronous orbit, where it has deployed three satellites. One of these, the Xinzhengcheng-01 (\u201cNew Journey 01\u201d), went on to conduct rendezvous operations with a long-distance approach, as well as artificial intelligence computing experiments.<\/p>\n The Tiangong station currently consists of the core Tianhe<\/em> module and the Wentian<\/em> and Mengtian<\/em> laboratory modules. It was designed to be expandable, and there are plans to extend the station from its current T-shape to an X-shape design. Design studies showing four to six module configurations date back to the mid 2010s, and a more recent design from the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) shows a four-module design which features six docking ports.<\/p>\n Render of a four-module Tiangong station configuration (Credit: CMSEO)<\/p>\n These would enable the station to accommodate a greater number of visiting vehicles, such as the next-generation Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, in the future. The new design is expected to add at least the same internal volume as the Tianhe<\/em> module, with large area semi-rigid solar panels, and the capacity to host externally-mounted scientific payloads.<\/p>\n To support the expansion, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) is reported to be working on a larger 6.4-meter-diameter fairing for the Chang Zheng 5B (CZ-5B) rocket that would launch the module. The CZ-5B was used to launch Tianhe<\/em> five years ago on April 29, 2021, also lofting Wentian<\/em> and Mengtian<\/em> over the following 18 months. It has since been used to loft three batches of Guowang satellites for SatNet\u2019s internet constellation.<\/p>\n Hou Yongqing from the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) recently noted there are also plans to extend the capabilities of the station\u2019s robotic arm to enable it to perform more complex tasks.<\/p>\n Tiangong extension module diagrams (left: with docking ports highlighted in green, right: connected to the station) (Credit: Shanghai Aerospace Systems Engineering Research Institute)<\/p>\n These announcements coincided with China\u2019s eleventh annual Space Day on April 24, celebrating the anniversary of its first satellite launch in 1970. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of China\u2019s space program in 1956.<\/p>\n Science missions<\/p>\n The Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission is a joint mission between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the European Space Agency. China has supplied the spacecraft platform and some key instruments, while Europe is providing the launch aboard a Vega-C from Kourou, as well as the payload module, other key instruments, and ground station support. Conceived ten years ago, the mission is finally nearing liftoff.<\/p>\n SMILE was due to launch in early April and is currently rescheduled for no earlier than May 19. It will study how the solar wind interacts with Earth\u2019s magnetosphere and deliver the first global imaging of the interaction in X-ray and ultraviolet.<\/p>\n Render of the SMILE spacecraft in orbit (Credit: ESA)<\/p>\n The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has selected additional instruments for the Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission, including collaborations from international partners. Tianwen-3 is due to launch from Wenchang in 2028 using two CZ-5 heavy lift launchers that will lift off about one month apart. China hopes to return the first samples from Mars to Earth around 2031.<\/p>\n Italy will contribute a Laser Retroreflector Array, which will be used for high-precision laser ranging and positioning on the Martian surface. NASA\u2019s Perseverance rover and InSight lander also carried these devices, as will the European ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, which is due to launch around 2028 and reach the red planet two years later.<\/p>\n Also onboard will be a pair of spectrometers from universities in Hong Kong and a French PEX spectrometer \u2013 all examining the chemical composition of the Martian surface and looking for possible biosignatures. An Ion Composition Analyzer from Macao\u2019s University of Science and Technology will study how solar activity strips away Mars\u2019 atmosphere.<\/p>\n The CNSA also announced in late April that its Xihe-2 solar observatory will also be open to international cooperation. Successful submissions will be chosen in December. Xihe-2 will launch no earlier than 2029 and will operate near the Sun-Earth L5 Lagrange point. This vantage point provides a side-on view of the Sun relative to how it is seen from Earth, from about 60 degrees behind the Earth in its orbit. This makes it ideal for providing advanced warnings of solar storms.<\/p>\n The Laser Retroreflector Array (LaRA) on NASA\u2019s Perseverance Rover (Credit: NASA JPL)<\/p>\n Also on the move recently was Chang\u2019e 7, which completed its journey to the Wenchang Space Launch Center in early April. It is currently due to launch in the second half of the year, beginning a mission to explore permanently-shadowed craters in the lunar south polar region in search of water ice. The mission consists of an orbiter, lander, rover, and a \u2018hopper\u2019 which will seek deposits of water ice in the dark, ultra-cold regions that the rover cannot access.<\/p>\n Satellite launchers<\/p>\n An increased number of Chinese rideshare launches are also open to international payloads. This month, the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) released a list of 29 rideshare missions on offer, which will fly between this summer and the end of 2027.<\/p>\n The CNSA introduced the first version of its national standards framework for China\u2019s commercial space sector on April 24. The \u2018Commercial Spaceflight Standards System\u2019 sets out rules and guidance across the entire lifecycle of private space activity. It spans six key areas: regulation and safety, rocket and satellite manufacturing, launch and operations, applications, common technical standards, and infrastructure. Together, these are designed to improve oversight and standardize interfaces, supporting higher frequency launches and mass production. These standards should help to align a fast-growing but fragmented sector under a unified framework as China builds out its space-based economy.<\/p>\n CZ-10A booster performing a controlled vertical landing near the Linghangzhe ship in February (Credit: CCTV)<\/p>\n This month could see China\u2019s first attempt to \u2018catch\u2019 a booster using the cable-net system aboard the Linghangzhe<\/em> (\u201cPathfinder\u201d) ship, which will be waiting in the South China Sea during the maiden flight of the Chang Zheng 10B (CZ-10B) rocket. Moveable tensioned steel cables on a raised frame will be used in an attempt to catch the booster via arresting hooks as it performs a final propulsive hover and descent between them. The vessel left port in the Guangdong province in early May for further testing ahead of the launch.<\/p>\n The partially-reusable CZ-10B is the cargo variant of the Chang Zheng 10 family, which completed a wet dress rehearsal on April 12 ahead of its planned debut. It uses the same first stage as the CZ-10A, which flew for the first time in February, when it was used for the Mengzhou capsule\u2019s in-flight abort demonstration. The booster went on to perform a controlled vertical landing in the sea close to Linghangzhe<\/em>, as various systems related to the \u2018catch\u2019 process were validated.<\/p>\n Notices posted for the recovery area around 550 km downrange from the Wenchang launch site near the Zhongsha Islands indicate a launch window between May 28 and 30, with the launch rumored to be targeting the end of that period.<\/p>\n Renders of Leap 1A\u2019s inland (left) and sea-platform catch towers (Credit: Cosmoleap)<\/p>\n iSpace also plans to land and recover its own launcher at sea, though the Shuang Quxian\u20113 (SQX-3, or Hyperbola-3) is designed to land on the deck of a more traditional drone ship, similar to SpaceX\u2019s Falcon 9. The vehicle\u2019s Focus-1 methane-powered engines have now been declared ready for flight, and the company has been conducting testing on a full set of landing legs over the past month, while the drone ship has been conducting sea trials. Although it had previously been expected to launch in March, the SQX-3 is advancing steadily towards its debut.<\/p>\n iSpace is currently seeking to raise further Series E funding, while Cosmoleap has successfully raised a further 500 million Yuan ($73 million USD) to complete the development of its reusable Leap-1A vehicle and to advance new engine designs. Nine YF-209 engines, burning liquid methane and oxygen, will power the first stage initially, but the company plans to develop its own Qingyu-11 restartable engine. This is intended to generate 150 tons of thrust, compared to the YF-209\u2019s 80 tons, using the same propellants.<\/p>\n The vehicle will measure 70 meters in length, with a 4.2-meter diameter, and is designed to loft up to 18,000 kg to low-Earth orbit. The design incorporates a reusable first stage using a tower chopstick-type catch recovery, with a tower design inspired by SpaceX\u2019s Starship program. First stages are expected to be reflown up to 20 times, and the company has plans to land boosters at both inland sites and on floating platforms for missions that would launch from Wenchang. The company has occasionally shared videos of catch testing dating back to late 2024 and has since delayed its expectations for a maiden launch from the second half of this year to sometime in 2027.<\/p>\n (Lead image: Render of Cosmoleap\u2019s Leap 1A in flight \u2013 Credit: Cosmoleap)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" China is preparing to launch both cargo and crew missions to its Tiangong space station, as a new cargo freighter is tested in low-Earth orbit and new designs are revealed to expand the orbiting outpost. Celebrating 70 years since the foundation of its space program this year, China is also advancing plans for deep space […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[7822,7823,7824,567,6762,357,7825,7826,511,7827,329,6575,7828,330,5731,7829,411],"class_list":["post-23525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-change-7","tag-cosmoleap","tag-cz-10b","tag-eva","tag-hyperbola-3","tag-ispace","tag-lijian-2","tag-linghangzhe","tag-pakistan","tag-qingzhou","tag-shenzhou","tag-shenzhou-21","tag-suparco","tag-tiangong","tag-tiangong-space-station","tag-tianwen-3","tag-tianzhou"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23525"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23525"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23525\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Qingzhou-demonstrator-is-assessed-before-launch-Credit-CCTV.png\")
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