posted 05-24-2026 10:21 AM               

China launches Shenzhou 23 crew with first taikonaut from Hong Kong

China's first taikonaut to come from Hong Kong and its first yearlong expedition member are part of the three-person crew now in space.

Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying launched on the China Manned Space Agency's (CMSA) Shenzhou 23 spacecraft to the country's Tiangong space station on Sunday (May 24). The three taikonauts' ride into orbit, a Long March-2F carrier rocket, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 11:08 p.m. Beijing Time (11:08 a.m. EDT or 1508 GMT).

posted 05-25-2026 07:07 AM               

Shenzhou 23 docks, crew enters Tiangong station

China's Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship successfully docked with the Tiangong space station on Monday (May 25) at 2:45 a.m. Beijing Time (2:45 p.m. EDT or 1845 GMT on May 24), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the radial port of Tiangong's core module Tianhe. The whole docking process took approximately three and a half hours, said the CMSA.

The Shenzhou-21 crew aboard Tiangong opened the hatch at 5:13 a.m. Beijing Time and welcomed the new arrivals. The two crews took group pictures for the eighth space get-together in China's aerospace history.

They will conduct handover work aboard the space station, the CMSA said.

posted 08-31-2026 09:11 AM               

Shenzhou-23 astronauts complete first series of extravehicular activities

The Shenzhou-23 crew aboard China's orbiting space station completed their mission's first series of extravehicular activities on Friday (Aug. 28), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Above: This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Aug. 28, 2026 shows Shenzhou-23 astronaut Zhu Yangzhu performing extravehicular activities outside China's orbiting space station.

The astronaut trio — Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying — worked for approximately 5.5 hours and completed their tasks at 1:59 p.m. (Beijing Time), assisted by the space station's robotic arm and ground support teams. Zhu, who previously spacewalked three years ago, made his second excursion, while Zhang ventured outside for the first time.

Zhu and Zhang installed debris shields and repaired the station's solar panels, ensuring the safety and stability of its power supply, according to the CMSA. This is the second time Chinese astronauts have performed such in-orbit maintenance tasks.

The three astronauts were launched aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft on May 24.

Since arriving at the station, the crew has completed an in-orbit handover, deployed application payloads outside the station, and conducted rendezvous-and-docking drills, medical rescue exercises and full-system pressure emergency response drills, according to the agency.

Scientific experiments and technology tests in space life sciences, human research, microgravity physics and new space technologies are progressing steadily, the CMSA said.

In the coming months, they will carry out scientific experiments, technology tests, application payload deployments outside the station, and public outreach activities, the agency added.