China’s Shenzhou-21 mission is poised for launch, carrying a unique ensemble of space travellers: experienced astronauts and pioneering lab mice.
Blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre on Friday, the mission will integrate human spaceflight with critical biological research.
This underscores the nation’s commitment to an advanced approach to understanding and conquering the challenges of space.
Shenzhou-21’s elite trio
Leading the charge is veteran space pilot Zhang Lu, 48, who also participated in the Shenzhou-15 mission more than two years ago.
He will be accompanied by payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang and Wu Fei, a 32-year-old flight engineer who is set to become the youngest Chinese astronaut to venture into space.
“I feel incomparably lucky. Being able to integrate my personal dreams into the glorious journey of China’s space programme is the greatest fortune this era has bestowed upon me,” Wu Fei told reporters.
The astronauts aboard Shenzhou-21 will be conducting a range of scientific experiments and contribute to the Tiangong space station’s ongoing operations.
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Rodents in orbit
Meanwhile, sharing the spacecraft are four laboratory mice, consisting of two males and two females, which will serve as subjects in China’s inaugural in-orbit rodent research programme.
China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) spokesperson Zhang Jingbo emphasised that these animals are integral to gaining insights into the effects of microgravity and cosmic radiation on living organisms, providing data crucial for future long-duration missions.
Crewed moon presence by 2030
The Shenzhou-21 mission is part of China’s broader vision to establish a crewed presence on the moon by 2030, a goal that the CMSA is “holding firm” to.
Its success hinges not only on technical expertise but also on the crew’s ability to function as a cohesive, supportive unit, navigating the psychological challenges of a six-month long spaceflight.
As the mission unfolds, the world will be watching closely, eyes fixed on the discoveries that await, from astronaut performance to the biological responses of the small but significant passengers.
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Geoffrey H. Latayan 
Vivien Bernardino