China has launched its Shenzhou-23 mission, marking the first time an astronaut will spend a full year in orbit. This milestone is a crucial step in Beijing's ambition to send humans to the moon by 2030.
Launch Details
The Long March 2-F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwestern China on Sunday, carrying three astronauts to the Tiangong space station. The crew includes Lai Ka-ying, 43, the first astronaut from Hong Kong, who previously worked for the territory's police force. Joining him are space engineer Zhu Yangzhu, 39, and former air force pilot Zhang Zhiyuan, also 39, both making their first spaceflight.
Scientific Objectives
The crew will conduct numerous scientific experiments in life sciences, materials science, fluid physics, and medicine. A key experiment involves one crew member staying in orbit for a full year to study the effects of prolonged microgravity on the human body. This research is vital for China's preparations for future lunar and potentially Martian missions. The astronaut selected for the year-long stay will be named later by the Chinese space agency.
Richard de Grijs, an astrophysicist at Macquarie University in Australia, highlighted the challenges of long-duration spaceflight, including bone density loss, muscle wasting, radiation exposure, sleep disturbances, and psychological fatigue. He also stressed the importance of reliable life support systems and medical emergency management. "A year in orbit pushes both hardware and humans into a different operational regime compared with the shorter Shenzhou missions of the programme's earlier phases," he said.
Lunar Ambitions
Shenzhou-23 is part of China's goal to land astronauts on the moon before 2030, competing with NASA's Artemis program. Beijing is testing necessary equipment, with an orbital test flight of its Mengzhou spacecraft planned for 2026. The Mengzhou will replace the ageing Shenzhou line and carry Chinese astronauts to the moon. China also aims to build the first phase of the International Lunar Research Station by 2035.
Additionally, China plans to welcome its first foreign astronaut, from Pakistan, to the Tiangong station by the end of this year.
Space Programme Expansion
Over the past three decades, Beijing has significantly expanded its space programmes, investing billions to catch up with the US, Russia, and Europe. China achieved a world first by landing the Chang'e-4 probe on the far side of the moon in 2019 and a rover on Mars in 2021. Since 2011, China has been excluded from the International Space Station due to a US ban on NASA collaboration, prompting the development of its own space station.
