Overview
- The three‑person Shenzhou‑23 crew — commander Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka‑ying (also reported as Li Jiaying) — lifted off from Jiuquan at 23:08 local time on Sunday for a trip to the Tiangong space station.
- The mission carries the program’s first planned one‑year in‑orbit test to gather medical, operational and psychological data for long‑duration human spaceflight, with officials saying the specific astronaut for the year‑long stay will be selected later based on how the mission unfolds.
- A primary operational goal is to relieve the Shenzhou‑21 crew, who have been in orbit for 203 days and are poised to set a new Chinese duration record before returning to the Dongfeng landing area.
- Shenzhou‑23 will carry more than 100 scientific and technology projects, including life‑science studies using zebrafish embryos, mouse embryos and stem‑cell‑derived structures plus materials and energy system tests for future missions.
- Program leaders have warned that a year‑long stay raises greater health and safety risks than consecutive six‑month missions, prompting stepped‑up medical, psychological and emergency preparedness after a recent in‑orbit contingency drill following suspected debris damage.