China Sets Friday Night Shenzhou‑21 Launch With Youngest Taikonaut, First In‑Orbit Mice Study

Overview

• Lift‑off is scheduled for 11:44 p.m. Friday in Beijing from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
• The three‑person crew comprises commander Zhang Lu, payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, and flight engineer Wu Fei, who at 32 will be China’s youngest astronaut to fly.
• The astronauts will complete a roughly six‑month rotation on the Tiangong station and conduct 27 new scientific and application projects.
• Four mice will fly for China’s first in‑orbit rodent experiments to study effects of microgravity and confinement, with the animals slated to return for further analysis.
• Officials reported prototype milestones on key lunar hardware and outlined upcoming tests, targeted a first Long March‑10 and Mengzhou flight in 2026, and said the 2030 landing objective remains firm despite acknowledged risks, while confirming plans to train two Pakistani astronauts and select one for a short‑duration payload specialist mission to Tiangong.