The 40th flight of China’s manned space program, the seventh mission in the space station application phase, high-precision rendezvous and a one-year stay in weightlessness

As reported by CCTV+, the manned spacecraft Shenzhou-23 with astronauts on board has entered its designated orbit. The launch took place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 24 at 23:08 Beijing time. The Shenzhou-23 crew consists of commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Zhiyuan and payload specialist Lai Ka-ying.

Approximately 10 minutes after launch, the spacecraft separated from the carrier rocket and reached its designated orbit. The crew’s condition is reported as good, and the launch has been declared a “complete success”.

After entering orbit, Shenzhou-23 performed a high-precision rendezvous and docking with the radial docking port of the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong space station, forming a configuration of three spacecraft and three modules. According to the plan, the astronauts will replace the Shenzhou-21 crew currently working on the Tiangong space station. The decision to extend the astronauts’ stay in space to one year was made under China’s first program to study the human body in weightlessness. The goal is to collect experimental data over longer periods to improve health protection systems for astronauts during long-duration space missions.

The Shenzhou-23 launch is the 40th flight of China’s manned space program and the seventh manned mission in the application and development phase of the space station.

One year in orbit. The 40th flight. The seventh mission. China is not just sending people into space — it is learning to live there. Shenzhou-23 is not just another launch. It is a milestone. Docking, crew rotation, a one-year mission.

Astronauts will now not only work but also experiment on themselves. How does the human body react to weightlessness after six, nine, twelve months? The data will help fly further. To the moon. To Mars. The question is not how many more records China will set. The question is who will next send their people into space for a year. While some are only planning, others are already docking. And living in orbit. By the calendar.