China Launches Shenzhou 23 With 3 Astronauts, Including Hong Kong's First Spaceflier
Updated
Updated · Space.com · May 23
China Launches Shenzhou 23 With 3 Astronauts, Including Hong Kong's First Spaceflier
7 articles · Updated · Space.com · May 23
Sunday's Shenzhou 23 launch will send Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying to Tiangong for a six-month handover mission; Lai will become the first astronaut from Hong Kong to reach space.
One of the three is expected to remain in orbit for 1 year—China's first such mission—because a Pakistani astronaut due on Shenzhou 24 will later take that crew member's return seat.
The flight will relieve the Shenzhou 21 crew, whose stay ran about a month long after suspected debris damage forced their Shenzhou 20 colleagues to use the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft to return.
China sent uncrewed Shenzhou 22 as a replacement lifeboat, with the delayed Shenzhou 21 astronauts now scheduled to come home on May 29.
Shenzhou 23, launching at 1508 GMT from Jiuquan, will be Tiangong's 11th crewed mission and follows Tianzhou 10's May 11 delivery of nearly 7 tons of supplies.
What challenges will China’s first year-long astronaut face after the unique international crew swap?
After a near-disaster, how will China protect its astronauts from the growing threat of orbital debris?
Which nations will join China's space station next, creating a new rival to the ISS?
China’s Shenzhou-23: Pioneering a Year-Long Space Residency and Welcoming Hong Kong’s First Astronaut
Overview
The Shenzhou-23 mission, launching on May 24, 2026, marks a major milestone as the seventh crewed mission in the development of China’s space station and the 40th in its manned space program. The three-person crew includes Zhu Yangzhu, an experienced astronaut, Zhang Zhiyuan, a first-time space traveler, and Lai Ka-ying, the first astronaut from Hong Kong. This mission highlights China’s growing expertise in long-duration spaceflight and its commitment to integrating talent from across the country, reflecting both technological progress and national unity in advancing its ambitious space goals.