Three Chinese astronauts – Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang – stood before global media on Thursday, marking their final public appearance before embarking on the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceflight mission. The event at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center showcased China's growing ambitions in space exploration as the nation prepares for Friday's late-night launch.
Scheduled for 11:44 p.m. Beijing Time on Friday, the mission represents China's latest step in developing its permanent space station program. The China Manned Space Agency emphasized this launch will conduct critical technology verification and scientific experiments during the crew's orbital stay.
As night falls over the Gobi Desert launch site, international observers will watch closely for developments in China's space program, which has completed 10 crewed missions since 2003. The Shenzhou-21 mission comes as multiple nations accelerate their space exploration agendas, with China positioning itself as a key player in extraterrestrial research and international space collaboration.
