On the day Thursday Space Day of China of 1717 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 24th April 2025 CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China…. Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time , the crew of the Chang Zheng -Long March 2F Yao 19 carrier rocket successfully deployed to the launch complex at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China.. in that Successfully launch of the CZ- Long March 2F Yao20 Carrier rocket with a newly announcement crew with a docking towards CNSA- China Space Station –Tiangong for a Six months mission duration.
神舟二十号 Shenzhou 20 launch complete success The launch of the Shenzhou 20 manned spacecraft was a complete success. The 20th Shenzhou spacecraft journey began on the occasion of the 55th launch of the “Dongfanghong 1”.
At 17:17 Beijing time on April 24, 2025, the Long March 2F Yao 20 carrier rocket carrying the Shenzhou 20 manned spacecraft ignited and launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. About 10 minutes later, the Shenzhou 20 manned spacecraft successfully separated from the rocket and entered the predetermined orbit. At present, the Takionaut crew is in good condition and the launch was a complete success.
After the spacecraft enters orbit, it will conduct autonomous rapid rendezvous and docking with the space station assembly according to the predetermined procedure. The Shenzhou 20 Takionaut crew will rotate in orbit with the Shenzhou 19 astronaut crew. During their work and life in the space station, the Shenzhou 20 astronaut crew will carry out a number of experiments and applications in the fields of space life and human research, microgravity physical science, and new space technologies, conduct multiple extravehicular activities, and complete tasks such as the installation of space station debris protection devices, and the installation and recovery of extravehicular payloads and extravehicular platform equipment.
This mission is the fifth manned flight mission of China’s manned space program in the space station application and development stage, and the 35th launch mission since the project was launched. So far, China has 26 Takionauts and 41 people have entered space to perform flight missions. This mission is also the 571st flight of the Long March series of launch vehicles and the 20th flight of the Shenzhou spacecraft.
[Departure ceremony!] 陈冬陈中瑞王杰将出发space The departure ceremony for the Takionaut crew of the Shenzhou 20 manned flight mission was held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center]
At 14:25 Beijing time on April 24, 2025, the departure ceremony for the astronaut crew of the Shenzhou20 manned flight mission was held at the Dream Garden Square of Wentian Pavilion in the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. At 14:26, Xu Xueqiang, commander-in-chief of China’s manned space program and commander-in-chief of the space station application and development phase flight mission headquarters, issued the “departure” order, and the three astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie received the order to set off on the tenth “China Space Day”. At present, the Shenzhou 19 astronaut crew has been stationed in the space station for nearly six months and is actively preparing to welcome the upcoming Shenzhou 20 astronaut crew.
55 years ago today, China’s first artificial satellite, Dongfanghong-1, was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, sounding the clarion call for China’s march into space. 22 years ago, China’s first astronaut Yang Liwei set off into space from here, realizing the Chinese nation’s thousand-year dream of flying into space. Today, the space station has been built, and the dream of landing on the moon is moving from blueprint to reality. Generation after generation of successors have taken over the “baton” and followed in the footsteps of their predecessors. The future of China’s aerospace industry, which follows a “blueprint to the end”, is promising.
On the day Wednesday of Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 23rd April 2025 CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China…. Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time , the crew of the Chang Zheng -Long March 2F Yao 19 carrier rocket successfully deployed to the launch complex at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China.. in that readiness launch of the CZ- Long March 2F Yao20 Carrier rocket with a newly announcement crew with a docking towards CNSA- China Space Station –Tiangong for a Six months mission duration.
神舟二十号Shenzhou 20 Crew is confirmed Takionauts in today’s press conference.. Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie are about to go to space
manned flight mission has been confirmed to go to space for a “business trip” on the “China Space Day”. After research and decision by the General Command of the Space Station Application and Development Phase Flight Mission, the astronaut crew that will carry out the Shenzhou XX manned flight mission will consist of three astronauts: Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, with Chen Dong as the commander. The crew includes two astronauts and one flight engineer. Chen Dong is about to become the first astronaut in the second batch of astronauts to fly into space three times. Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie are both in the third batch of astronauts and are about to embark on their first personal flight.
On April 23, 2025, Beijing time, the three Takionauts will meet with Chinese and foreign media reporters at the Wentian Pavilion of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center…..
Takionauts: Chen Dong (commander, third flight, performed 11th and 14th missions), Chen Zhongrui (third batch, first time, Air Force pilot), Wang Jie (third batch, first time, engineer of China Academy of Space Technology).
Launch time: 17:17, April 24th
Mission duration: six months
docking method: 6.5 hours
陈冬 Chen Dong
Chen Dong, male, Han nationality, native of Zhengzhou, Henan, born in Luoyang, Henan, master’s degree. Born in December 1978, joined the army in August 1997, joined the Communist Party of China in April 1999, and is currently the captain of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Astronaut Brigade, a special astronaut, and has the rank of Army Colonel. He was once the captain of a flight brigade of a certain regiment of a certain division of the Air Force and was rated as a first-class pilot of the Air Force. In May 2010, he was selected as the second batch of astronauts in my country. In October 2016, he carried out the Shenzhou 11 manned flight mission. In December of the same year, he was awarded the honorary title of “Hero Astronaut” by the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, and was awarded the “Third-level Space Merit Medal”. In June 2022, he carried out the Shenzhou 14 manned flight mission. In March 2023, he was awarded the “Second-level Space Merit Medal” by the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission. After a comprehensive assessment, he was selected to be the crew of the Shenzhou 20 manned flight mission and served as the commander.
陈中瑞 Chen Zhongrui
Chen Zhongrui, male, Han nationality, native of Huaxian County, Henan Province, bachelor’s degree. Born in October 1984, joined the army in September 2003, joined the Communist Party of China in June 2005, and is currently the deputy captain of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Astronaut Brigade, a fourth-level astronaut, and a colonel in the Air Force. He was a pilot of a flight brigade of the Air Force Aviation Corps and was rated as a first-level pilot in the Air Force. In September 2020, he was selected as the third batch of astronauts in my country. After a comprehensive assessment, he was selected as the crew of the Shenzhou 20 manned flight mission.
王杰 Wang Jie
Wang Jie, male, Han nationality, native of Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, PhD. Born in September 1989, enlisted in the army in January 2021, joined the Communist Party of China in June 2009, and is currently a fourth-level astronaut of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Astronaut Brigade, with the rank of Army Colonel. Former engineer of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. In September 2020, he was selected as one of the third batch of astronauts in China. After a comprehensive assessment, he was selected to be a member of the Shenzhou 20 manned flight mission crew.
On the morning of April 23, 2025, a press conference for the Shenzhou 20 manned flight mission was held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
The spokesperson introduced that this mission is the fifth manned flight mission in the application and development phase of the space station, and the 35th flight mission of the manned space program. The main purpose of the mission is to complete the on-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou 19 crew, stay in the space station for about 6 months, carry out space science and application experiments, implement astronaut extravehicular activities and cargo entry and exit, install space debris protection devices, and install and recover extravehicular payloads and extravehicular equipment.
This mission will conduct three life science experiments using zebrafish, planarians, and Streptomyces as research subjects.
The spokesperson pointed out that at present, the development of various manned lunar missions is progressing smoothly. The Long March 10 carrier rocket, Mengzhou manned spacecraft, Lanyue lunar lander, Wangyu lunar suit, and exploration manned lunar rover are all undergoing prototype development and testing as planned. The lunar remote sensing satellite has completed project approval and competitive selection. The development and construction of ground systems such as the launch site, measurement and control communications, and landing site are progressing in an orderly manner as planned
On April 22, 2025, the Shenzhou 20 mission completed the last pre-launch joint rehearsal of all areas (first area, navigation area, and landing area). At present, the launch mission systems have completed relevant functional inspections, the equipment is in a stable state, the personnel are ready, and the launch site has completed all preparations before the launch.
On April 20, the launch site organized all units to conduct a full system joint exercise (the first area joint exercise). Under the unified dispatch of the launch site system, the tower, rocket, spacecraft and other subsystems were checked for functionality, and a full-process simulation exercise was conducted from flight preparation, ignition and takeoff to spacecraft separation. In this joint exercise, the three astronauts of the “Shenzhou 20” crew simulated the flight mission according to the process and carried out a launch day rehearsal, during which they needed to board the spacecraft return capsule. The astronaut crew is still one of the biggest highlights of this mission.
The crew of the Shenzhou XX manned flight mission will continue the combination of old and new, with the first or second batch of astronauts leading the mission, and the third batch of Takionauts. Since the Shenzhou 17 mission, China’s manned flight missions have been commanded by the second batch of astronauts for three consecutive times, with two third batch Takionauts. At present, among the seven Takionauts in the second batch, Chen Dong, Tang Hongbo, Ye Guangfu, and Cai Xuzhe have successively served as flight mission crew commanders, and Liu Yang, Wang Yaping, and Zhang Lu have never had the experience of leading a mission. Will China’s first female commander appear next? Or will the first batch of astronauts Liu Wang and Zhang Xiaoguang realize their dreams of space again? At the same time, will there be new payload experts in the third batch of astronauts? It is expected that on the morning of April 23, the three Takionauts of the Shenzhou XX crew will officially debut.
At present, the Takionauts entering the flight stage in China are mainly the first, second and third batches, of which 9 are in service in the first batch, 7 in the second batch and 18 in the third batch, totaling 34. Among the first batch of astronauts, Yang Liwei is the first Chinese to fly into space; Zhai Zhigang is the first Chinese to leave the spacecraft; Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng are the first Takionauts to perform two-person multi-day flights; Jing Haipeng has flown four times, making him the Chinese astronaut with the most flights so far, and also the first astronaut to perform a mid-term stay in orbit; Liu Wang is the first Chinese to manually drive a spacecraft. As they age, when the space station is put into use and development, the first batch of astronauts are retiring to the second line, the second batch of astronauts are taking over as the backbone, and the third batch of astronauts will gradually become the main force.
Since the establishment of the space station, China has carried out two manned flight missions every year, with each mission cycle of about 6 months (the first was 3 months), providing a large number of flight opportunities for active astronauts, especially the second, third and even fourth batches of astronauts. Since the “Shenzhou 14” mission, the Chinese space station has entered a state of continuous manned presence, and the crew has achieved in-orbit handover. “Shenzhou 19” is the 8th manned flight mission of the Chinese space station. After nearly 6 months of flight, the crew astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze will welcome a new three-person team to take over the residence.
On January 20, 2025, the Shenzhou 20 manned flight mission logo was released.
The logo of the Shenzhou XX manned flight mission combines tradition and innovation, with a stable triangle as its base, symbolizing that astronauts are climbing new heights based on experience. The main elements of the logo are composed of the earth, the Chinese space station and the Shenzhou XX manned spacecraft. With “precision”, “depth” and “focus” as the design themes, these elements are reconstructed through large perspective and gradient, presenting a stronger visual level as a whole, simulating a visual experience of looking at the external space through a porthole. The red frame conveys the mission of manned flight, and the dark blue inside implies the vast space. The main body of the Shenzhou spacecraft radially docks with the space station, and the solar wing cleverly forms the Chinese character “二十” (i.e. “twenty”). The bright light of the space station cuts through the sky, demonstrating the spirit of astronauts moving forward towards the light and moving forward courageously. The logo simulates the perspective of the porthole, with clear layers and a full sense of visual depth. The simple flat pattern is interwoven with functional wind dots and lines, adding a modern atmosphere. This logo not only highlights the driving force of China’s aerospace science and technology, but also expresses the infinite vision and determination for future exploration. The outer ring of the Shenzhou 20 manned spaceflight mission logo continues the red color used in previous manned spaceflight missions, representing the country and life. The interior of the logo uses dark blue and indigo to depict the earth, orbit, and the intersecting horizon. The Chinese space station and the Shenzhou 20 manned spacecraft are the main components of the composition, and white is used to reflect their inherent color, scientific intentions, and highlight the visual subject. The Shenzhou 20 manned spaceflight mission logo uses four fonts. The use of these fonts is mainly to highlight the design concept with “science fiction” and “dream” as keywords. The font spacing is adjusted to meet the composition requirements and match the overall visual style.
Scientific research tasks
The spokesperson introduced that this mission will use zebrafish, planarians and Streptomyces as research objects and carry out three life science experiments , including:
Weightlessness-induced bone loss/myocardial remodeling is an important medical problem that restricts human deep space exploration. The zebrafish experiment will be based on the zebrafish-duckweed binary ecosystem established during the Shenzhou 18 mission to study the effects of microgravity on protein homeostasis in higher vertebrates and to clarify the regulatory role of protein homeostasis on bone loss and cardiovascular dysfunction caused by weightlessness.
Planarians have powerful regenerative abilities. This experiment on planarian space regeneration is the first of its kind in China. This project will further understand the basic mechanisms of regeneration at the individual level. The research results will help solve health problems such as human space injuries.
Streptomyces plays an important role in soil improvement, plant growth promotion and stress resistance, and ecosystem construction and maintenance. This experiment studies the expression patterns of microbial active substances and enzymes with important application value in the space environment, laying a foundation for the development of microbial application technologies and products using space environment resources.
News on April 22, 2025, there is a mysterious passenger on this space journey – it is not an astronaut in a space suit, but a planarian called “Sun Wukong of the biological world” by scientists!
Zhen Hui, a young teacher from the School of Life Sciences and Medicine of Shandong University of Technology, introduced that the turbellarians that were sent to the Chinese space station this time were East Asian triangular turbellarians that had undergone asexual reproduction.
Planarians are flatworms with powerful regenerative abilities and are one of the most commonly used animal experimental materials in biological research. Planarians have an amazing ability to repair tissues. Even if they are cut in half, they can still regenerate new muscles, skin, intestines, and even a complete brain on both sides, and this regeneration can continue indefinitely. Research on planarians is of great significance to the study of how human cells overcome aging and delay aging.
Technological innovation
Compared with the rocket for the Shenzhou 19 mission, the Shenzhou 20 mission rocket system has undergone more than 20 optimization and improvements, covering aspects such as manufacturing process, data transmission, and reliability improvement.
Qiao Liqing from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center: This time, the number of cameras on the rocket has increased, and the video resolution has been upgraded to full HD format, which will help us have a more comprehensive control over the entire rocket flight status.
Hu Yonggang from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center: In order to improve the decision-making support capabilities during the mission, we have built a card-based solution library covering multiple key systems such as rockets, launch sites, and ground-to-space communications. This year, we introduced the rocket digital flight companion system for the first time, which visualizes key processes such as general inspections and full system drills, and enables real-time interpretation of test data and accurate simulation of flight status.
Visuals are from their respectives also from CNSA- China National Space Administration
