Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
On October 19, China launched the Shenzhou 19 mission aboard a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The crew of three astronauts are headed to the Tiangong space station, marking China’s eighth crewed mission to the orbital outpost.
The crew includes Commander Cai Xuzhe, a veteran astronaut from the Shenzhou 14 mission, alongside rookies Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, both 34 years old. They will work together over a six-month period, conducting space experiments and extravehicular activities (EVAs).
Shenzhou 19’s primary focus is on “biological and physical sciences in space,” with astronauts set to complete 86 experiments. Areas of study include space life science, microgravity physics, and space material science, with specific projects in protein crystal growth and soft matter dynamics.
Crew members will perform various tasks outside the station, such as installing protective equipment against space debris and managing the installation and recycling of external payloads.
In November, the Tianzhou 8 cargo spacecraft will launch to resupply the Tiangong station with essential resources and additional experiments. This resupply mission will use a Long March 7 rocket and depart from the Wenchang Spaceport.
The Shenzhou 18 crew, currently aboard Tiangong, will transfer control to the Shenzhou 19 team before returning to Earth. The Shenzhou 18 astronauts are scheduled to land on November 3, marking a seamless continuation of Tiangong’s operations.
China plans to maintain Tiangong as a permanently staffed facility for at least the next decade. Expansion plans include additional modules and the introduction of commercial activities, highlighting China’s commitment to long-term space station operations.
China is open to international cooperation regarding Tiangong, welcoming astronauts and collaborative scientific projects based on principles of mutual respect and benefit. The station aims to be operational for at least ten years, potentially filling the gap left by the International Space Station after its decommissioning around 2030.