China to launch Shenzhou-20 crewed mission on April 24

China will launch the Shenzhou-20 crewed mission to its space station at 5:17 p.m. on April 24 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Wednesday.

Click here for the livestream of the press conference.

After entering orbit, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft will conduct automated rendezvous and docking with the radial port of the Tianhe core module approximately 6.5 hours later, forming a combination of three spacecraft and three modules. 

The Shenzhou-20 mission marks the fifth crewed flight during the application and development phase of the China Space Station, and the 35th flight of the country's crewed space program overall. 

The main objectives are to complete an in-orbit crew rotation with the Shenzhou-19 crew, stay aboard the space station for about six months, conduct space science and application experiments, perform spacewalks and cargo transfer tasks, and carry out the installation of debris protection devices, as well as the installation and retrieval of external payloads and equipment.

During their stay in orbit, the Shenzhou-20 crew will receive the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft and the Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft. The Shenzhou-20 crew is scheduled to return to Earth in late October this year.

After completing the in-orbit crew rotation with the Shenzhou-20 crew, the Shenzhou-19 astronauts are scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site on April 29, according to the CMSA.

Meet the new crew

Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie will carry out the Shenzhou-20 crewed mission.

Astronaut Chen Dong has previously participated in Shenzhou-11 and Shenzhou-14 manned spaceflight missions. Two years after the Shenzhou-14 mission, he is set to serve as the commander again.

Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, among the third batch of Chinese astronauts, will be part of a spaceflight mission for the first time. Chen Zhongrui served as an air force pilot before being selected as an astronaut, and Wang Jie previously served as an engineer at the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Three new life science experiments in space station

The new life science experiments at the China Space Station during the Shenzhou-20 crewed mission will involve zebrafish, planarians and streptomyces, the CMSA told the press. 

The crew will conduct 59 experiments and technical demonstrations in areas such as space life sciences, microgravity physical sciences, and new space technologies.

China Space Station to welcome more visitors

CMSA announced plans of welcoming new visitors at the press conference. The first astronauts from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, selected as payload specialists, are on track to make their inaugural spaceflight as early as 2026. 

Meanwhile, two Pakistani astronauts will be selected to receive spaceflight training in China, and one of them will have the chance to participate in a joint space mission as a payload specialist.

(Cover: The combination of the crewed spaceship and its carrier rocket for the Shenzhou-20 mission is transferred to the launch site at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, April 16, 2025. /VCG)