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China Sets First Yearlong Tiangong Stay, Schedules Pakistani Astronaut Visit for 2026

The agency says these steps support a drive to put Chinese astronauts on the Moon before 2030.

Overview

  • One Shenzhou-23 crew member will remain on the station for a full year, with launch targeted for April–May after the spacecraft arrived at Jiuquan in January.
  • CMSA outlined a 2026 manifest of two crewed flights and one cargo resupply, with astronauts from Hong Kong and Macao expected to fly as early as this year.
  • A Pakistani payload specialist is slated for a short-duration mission to conduct experiments on Tiangong, with selection and training underway.
  • February flight tests validated a Max-Q abort for the Mengzhou crew spacecraft and a controlled sea splashdown and recovery rehearsal for the Long March 10 first stage.
  • The new Wenchang lunar pad supported the debut test, and site officials say the crewed-lunar complex should finish construction in the second half of 2026 alongside upgrades to tracking and landing infrastructure.