On October 29, 2021, China launched the Shenzhou-18 rocket carrying a crew of three astronauts to the Tiangong station in Yichang. The launch marked the country’s extensive aerospace program and its plans to reach the Moon by 2030.
The crew onboard the shuttle Grand March-2F includes mission commander Ye Guangfu, a veteran taikonaut, along with his companions Li Cong and Li Guangsu, both former army fighter pilots participating in their first space mission. The team was sent off with applause and is expected to reach the Tiangong station after a six and a half-hour journey.
Upon arrival at the space station, the crew will join the astronauts from the Shenzhou-17 mission, who have been conducting research and experiments at the station. The new crew will perform scientific experiments, spacewalks, and maintenance tasks on the station, including building a self-circulating aquatic ecosystem and cultivating vertebrates in orbit.
In addition to space station activities, China has completed key components for its manned lunar program, including the spacecraft and moon landing module. The country plans to launch two rockets to send astronauts and the lunar module separately to the Moon as part of this project.
China’s focus on its own lunar exploration program comes after being excluded from international cooperation on projects like the International Space Station (ISS). In contrast, NASA is currently working on its Artemis III mission to return humans to the Moon for exploration purposes. While both countries are advancing their space programs at different levels of development, it is clear that they remain committed to achieving their respective goals in this exciting field of science and technology.