Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Muskan Arora
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) is poised to launch three astronauts to the Tiangong space station on Thursday, marking a significant advancement in China's space exploration endeavours.
This mission signifies China's 13th crewed venture into space, symbolizing over two decades of remarkable achievements in Chinese human spaceflight history.
The Shenzhou-18 mission will be led by Ye Guangfu, a seasoned astronaut with extensive experience in space missions. Accompanying him are Li Cong and Li Guangsu, both esteemed members of the third-batch taikonauts, embarking on their inaugural flight mission to the Tiangong space station.
China's foray into human spaceflight began with the launch of Shenzhou-1 in November 1999, followed by a series of meticulously planned unmanned and manned missions, showcasing the nation's dedication to space exploration.
Under the leadership of Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of CMSA, the Shenzhou-18 crew is entrusted with a diverse array of tasks, including conducting space science experiments, executing extravehicular activities (EVAs), facilitating cargo transportation, and addressing space debris mitigation concerns.
With over 90 experiments spanning multiple disciplines such as physics, material science, and life sciences, the mission aims to delve deeper into understanding microgravity phenomena, fostering technological innovations, and unravelling the mysteries of space.
A pioneering initiative, the Shenzhou-18 mission includes China's maiden in-orbit aquatic ecological research program. This groundbreaking endeavour focuses on establishing a self-sustaining aquatic ecosystem in space, leveraging zebrafish and goldfish algae to breed vertebrates, thereby pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration.
Another highlight of the mission is the world's first in-orbit study on plant tip stem cells, aimed at deciphering the intricate mechanisms of plant evolutionary adaptation to gravity. This research holds immense promise for advancing our understanding of plant biology and cultivation techniques in space, laying the groundwork for sustainable space agriculture.
Through these pioneering initiatives, China aims to not only expand scientific knowledge and technological capabilities but also to chart a course for the future of space exploration, fostering the development of space habitats and enabling long-duration space missions for the betterment of humanity.