China unveils Shenzhou-20 crew for space station mission

This undated photo shows Shenzhou-20 crew members Chen Dong (C), Chen Zhongrui (R) and Wang Jie. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie will carry out the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceflight mission, with Chen Dong as the commander, the China Manned Space Agency announced on Wednesday.

The Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 5:17 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, said Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for the agency, at a press conference.

Chen Dong had participated in the Shenzhou-11 and Shenzhou-14 space missions. He served as the commander of the Shenzhou-14 crew and will take on the mantle once again after a two-year interval. He will also become the first among China's second batch of astronauts to carry out three spaceflight missions.

Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie are both among the third batch of astronauts and will embark on their first spaceflight mission. Before being selected, Chen Zhongrui was an air force pilot, while Wang Jie was an engineer at the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Chen Dong described his crew as embodying a synergy of precision and rigor. Speaking to the press on Wednesday, he said the pilot brings sharp thinking and precise operational skills, while the engineer contributes a meticulous attitude and a solid theoretical foundation.

"I have full confidence in our team, and it is capable and resourceful. We collaborate effectively, with each member fulfilling his role and handling responsibilities independently," he added.

Chen Zhongrui is described by his crewmates as calm, composed and quick-witted. As a former pilot, he possesses excellent operational skills.

Chen Zhongrui told the press that at the beginning of the joint training, he and Wang Jie felt a bit nervous. After all, Chen Dong had already completed two spaceflight missions, while they were still newcomers. "Now, we work together so seamlessly, and it feels like we're one person," he said.

"As a spaceflight engineer, I am primarily tasked with platform maintenance, equipment maintenance and repair, emergency malfunction handling, as well as space science experiments such as those on microgravity countermeasure technologies and human-machine collaboration systems," Wang Jie said.

Wang's teammates said he is a typical engineer, someone with a broad knowledge base and an exceptional ability to maintain focus for long periods.

Intensive tasks

The new crew will undertake a range of tasks, including space science experiments, application tests, extravehicular activities, and cargo handling. Their mission also involves installing protective devices against space debris, and deploying and retrieving extravehicular payloads and equipment. They will also participate in science education, public outreach, and other onboard experimental activities.

The new life science experiments to be carried out by the trio will involve zebra fish, planarians and streptomyces.

Notably, the Shenzhou-20 mission marks China's first space-based investigation into the regeneration of planarians, a new organism introduced to the space station and known for their extraordinary ability to regrow organs, Lin said.

He added that the Shenzhou-20 mission will further zebra fish experiment based on the zebra fish-hornwort co-cultivation ecosystem established during the Shenzhou-18 mission, and seeks to clarify how protein homeostasis regulates bone mass decrease and cardiovascular dysfunction caused by microgravity.

As for streptomyces, which can serve as critical players in soil health and plant resilience, the related experiment will study the expression patterns of microbial active substances and enzymes in space environments to lay the foundation for developing microbial technologies and products utilizing space resources, he added.

In addition to the three biological experiments, the crew will also conduct 59 space science experiments and technology tests, covering fields such as space life science, microgravity physical science, and new space technologies. Breakthroughs are expected in areas like the cultivation of vascularized brain organoid chips, and the study of preparing high-temperature superconducting material in space.

Fruitful achievements

The Shenzhou-20 astronauts will complete in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-19 crew and stay at the space station for approximately six months. The Shenzhou-19 astronauts are scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 29, Lin said.

The Shenzhou-19 crew has been in orbit for 175 days. During the mission, the crew set a world record for the longest duration of an extravehicular activity by a single astronaut, which lasted nine hours.

The Shenzhou-19 astronauts have worked on 88 space science and technology test projects, and produced more than 100 sample units, which will be returned to the ground aboard the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft. These samples are expected to produce important research results.

Astronaut training

Lin, the spokesperson, told the press that the country's fourth group of astronauts are being trained in fundamental spaceflight theory and a range of exercises, including psychological training and training on adapting to the space environment, along with specialized training sessions.

Among this group, astronauts from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions selected as payload specialists are expected to make their first spaceflight as early as 2026.

On the lunar landing missions, the spokesperson said that plans are progressing soundly, and that multiple tests on related spacecraft will be conducted soon. Pieces of major equipment such as the Long March-10 carrier rocket, the crewed spacecraft, the lunar lander, the moon-landing spacesuit and the crewed lunar rover are all in a stage of prototype research and development testing, as planned.

According to Lin, China will select and train two Pakistani astronauts for space missions, and one of them will serve as a payload specialist on a future Chinese space station flight. The Pakistani astronaut will conduct scientific experiments designed by Pakistan and perform regular crew responsibilities when in orbit.

Lin noted that China is discussing with other nations regarding potential foreign astronauts participating in the country's future space station missions.