Launching a “New Beginning”: China’s Shenzhou-18 Mission to Tiangong Space Station Aims for the Moon

The upcoming Shenzhou-18 mission, announced by China, will see three astronauts sent to the Tiangong space station as part of a program aimed at landing humans on the Moon by 2030. Set to launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 8:59 p.m. on Thursday, the crew will be led by Ye Guangfu, a fighter pilot and astronaut who previously participated in the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021. Joining him on this mission will be Li Cong and Li Guangsu, both embarking on their first space journey.

Commander Ye expressed his excitement about the mission, calling it a “new beginning” for China’s space program. Li Guangsu shared his anticipation of seeing Earth from space and exploring the wonders of the cosmos for his son. During their six-month stay in orbit, the astronauts will conduct experiments in gravity, physics, and biological sciences. They will also work on a high-resolution global greenhouse gas detection project, according to Lin Xiqiang, deputy director general of the China Manned Space Agency.

The Tiangong space station is an essential component of China’s ambitious space program that includes sending robots to Mars and the Moon. The station has been continuously manned since 2016 by teams of three astronauts. With Shenzhou-17 due to be replaced by a new crew, China’s space program aims to rival its counterparts in space exploration under President Xi Jinping and establish a lunar base before 2030.