China has achieved another milestone in its fast-growing space program by successfully launching its youngest-ever astronaut and four lab mice to the Tiangong space station, marking one of the country’s most ambitious scientific missions to date.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft docked with the Tiangong station at 3:35 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, 2025 (1935 GMT Friday), roughly four hours after launching aboard a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
The crew, led by Commander Zhang Lu, includes flight engineer Wu Fei, 32 — the youngest Chinese astronaut ever to go into orbit — and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, 39. The team waved to cheering colleagues at the launch site in the Gobi Desert before liftoff. “We will report back to our motherland and its people with complete success,” Commander Zhang said confidently before takeoff.
Joining them on board were four laboratory mice, part of China’s first in-orbit biological experiment involving mammals. Scientists hope the study will reveal how prolonged exposure to space affects mammals, potentially aiding future long-duration lunar or Mars missions.
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China’s Tiangong space station has become the centerpiece of the nation’s expanding space ambitions. With each mission, Beijing continues to demonstrate its determination to rival the United States and Russia in space exploration.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed that the astronauts will conduct a range of scientific tasks, including spacewalks and the installation of anti-debris shields on the station’s exterior. The mission also includes an educational component aimed at inspiring China’s next generation of scientists and engineers.
China’s rapid progress in space technology — including its Chang’e-4 lunar landing in 2019 and Mars rover deployment in 2021 — underscores its goal to send astronauts to the Moon before 2030.
As Beijing continues to expand its space partnerships, it recently signed an agreement with Pakistanto train and recruit foreign astronauts, a move seen as a major step toward establishing itself as a global space power.
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