Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

High-definition images of China’s space station were taken by the departing Shenzhou-16 crew last October 30.
Image credit: CMS

China is pressing forward on its space station plans, readying the next two crew flights with selected astronauts undergoing active training.

This will be a busy year for China’s space launches, with six major missions planned, including the recently launched cargo craft Tianzhou-7 now docked to the orbiting outpost.

Upcoming missions

Tianzhou-8 and the crewed spaceships Shenzhou-18 and Shenzhou-19, as well as the return of Shenzhou-17 and Shenzhou-18 will take place in 2024, said Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China’s crewed spaceflight project and China’s first astronaut in space.

Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China’s crewed spaceflight project and China’s first astronaut in space.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Meanwhile, the six astronauts for Shenzhou-18 and Shenzhou-19 missions have been finalized, Yang told China Central Television (CCTV). In addition to basic training, they are also undergoing specific trainings related to the tasks they will perform on the space station this year, he said.

Hardware lifespan

“During the operational phase, the main task will be scientific experiments conducted in the space station, as well as maintenance, repairs, and assembly tasks,” Yang added.

“This includes the replacement of certain components that have reached their lifespan. Our astronauts will be responsible for these,” Yang continued. “There may also be some unexpected or temporary tasks, such as the maintenance of the solar panels this time.”

Shenzhou-17 crew. Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Currently, the space station is occupied by three Shenzhou-17 astronauts that arrived there on Oct 26, 2023. As the sixth batch of inhabitants of the Tiangong station, they are scheduled to return to Earth around April after wrapping up their space mission for about six months.

Moon expedition

Yang also reported progress in China’s human lunar exploration project.

China’s plans for human crews on the Moon are being shaped.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

In the preliminary stage before the project was approved last year, “we had already worked a lot on technological breakthroughs and project feasibility,” Yang told CCTV.

“After the project was approved, we’ve worked out the prototype samples of the rocket systems, spacecraft, and lunar landers. Next we’ll work on the formal samples and some experiments, and we’ve already made breakthroughs in many key technologies,” he concluded.