China on Friday launched its Shenzhou-21 crewed mission to the Tiangong space station, sending three astronauts – including the youngest member of its astronaut corps – into orbit aboard a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan satellite launch centre in northwest China, according to state media reports.The mission marks the seventh crewed flight to the Chinese space station since its completion in 2022. Commanding the mission is Zhang Lu, 48, who previously flew on Shenzhou-15, while first-timers Zhang Hongzhang, 39, and Wu Fei, 32 – China’s youngest astronaut to enter space – complete the trio. Both were selected for the program in 2020.The astronauts will replace the Shenzhou-20 crew, who have spent over six months aboard Tiangong, or “Heavenly Palace,” and are set to return to Earth in the coming days.In a first, the crew is accompanied by four black mice, making them the first small mammals to be sent to the Chinese space station. The animals will be used for experiments on reproduction in low Earth orbit, state media reported.China’s Shenzhou program now operates on a biannual launch schedule, with each mission involving six-month stays by rotating three-member crews.Over the past year, the program has achieved milestones such as deploying astronauts born in the 1990s, conducting a world-record spacewalk, and announcing plans to send the first foreign astronaut – from Pakistan – to Tiangong next year.China’s growing presence in space has intensified global competition, particularly with the United States, which is accelerating its efforts to return astronauts to the Moon before China does. The two countries are also vying for leadership in international space collaboration – with the US-led Artemis Accords facing competition from the China–Russia-backed International Lunar Research Station initiative.(With inputs from CNN)
