Aparna A Nair Aparna A Nair is a graduate from the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai.

What happened?
On 24 May, China’s Long March-2F Y23 launch vehicle carried the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft to the Tiangong space station from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. The mission carried three astronauts—a flight engineer, a spacecraft pilot, and a payload specialist. The spacecraft performed a 3.5-hour rendezvous and docking with the Tiangong space station. 

The mission marks an increased return payload capacity with over 100 metric tons, three times the previous capacity. According to media reports, it carried more than 100 new science and application projects, focusing on frontier fields such as space life science, materials science, microgravity fluid physics, aerospace medicine, and new space technologies. In this mission, an astronaut will conduct a one-year in-orbit experiment on human adaptability and performance limits.

What is the background?
1. China’s current plan and vision
Shenzhou is a series of manned spacecraft that launches taikonauts to China’s first modular space station, the Tiangong space station. The mission was launched in 2003; in the initial phases, the test was uncrewed. It gradually transitioned to launch taikonauts into Earth orbit and to experiment with innovations that support human life for prolonged periods. The uncrewed flights between 1999 and 2002 were to validate spacecraft systems, life support, re-entry, and orbital operation. In 2003, China’s first crewed mission—Shenzhou 5—was launched and made China the third country to independently send humans to space. In 2008, Shenzhou 7, China, performed its first spacewalk. Shenzhou 8 performed the first uncrewed automatic docking with Tiangong-1, and Shenzhou 9 conducted the first crewed docking. Tiangong 2 was launched in 2016, and Shenzhou 11 was the first crewed mission to dock with it. In 2021, China expanded the Tiangong space station, which included the Tianhe core module. Then, crew rotations became regular in Shenzhou. Shenzhou-12 was the first crewed mission to Tiangong and stayed for three months. Shenshou-21, which recently returned to Earth, spent almost seven months in space. This mission is central to China’s ambition of landing taikonauts on the moon by 2030 and establishing a permanent human presence in low Earth orbit. 

2. The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC)
It is the largest comprehensive rocket and satellite launch centre in China and the only manned space launch site. Established in 1958 as China’s first spaceport, it features state-of-the-art facilities, including the Technical Centre, Launch Complex, and Control Centres. It is optimized to launch into low and medium Earth orbits with large inclination angles. It’s 40-50 per cent, or higher, and aligns with the inclination of the Tiangong space station, which is 41-42 per cent. This fact rules out the need for large plane-change manoeuvres. Since it is located in the Gobi Desert of Inner Mongolia, the site has dry, clear weather suitable for launches 300 days per year.

3. Increased return payload capacity
This mission marks a drastic increase in China’s return payload capacity from 50 kg to over 100 kg. It is achieved through the miniaturization of cabin instruments and the reconfiguration of the interior layout. Earlier, the lower payload capacity had made the selection of experiments stricter. This capacity supports extensive research and experiments.

4. Space and the 15th Five-Year Plan
Space is regarded as an emerging pillar of the industry. The 15th five-year plan (2026 to 2030) aims to transform the space industry into a centralized, self-sustaining ecosystem by 2030. It includes suborbital tourism, digital infrastructure for space, space resource development, etc. China also aspires to accomplish lunar exploration by 2030 and achieve self-reliance in critical space technology. 

What does it mean?
First, the larger objectives of the Shenzhou mission. The Shenzhou program is aimed at being the backbone of China’s human spaceflight. It has evolved through spacewalks, docking tests, and long-duration station stays. Rather than a crew rotation, it is an operational node. The focus shifts from permanently inhabiting the platform to testing the limits of human endurance and increasing scientific value. It includes the scientific ambition of human lunar landing by 2030 and the International Lunar Research Station by 2035. 

Second, China’s other ambitions. The exclusion from the International Space Station has motivated China to build an independent space infrastructure. Shenzhou, along with Tiangong and the Long March series, symbolizes China’s commitment to self-reliance and control over critical space technology. With the establishment of its own space station, China positions itself as an alternative global space power.

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