2025 has been a landmark year for the Chinese mainland's space ambitions. As the country celebrated the 55th anniversary of the Dongfanghong-1 satellite and its 10th Space Day, it also marked key achievements in both manned flights and deep space exploration.
Resilience and Record-Breaking Astronaut Feats
On April 24, 2025, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft lifted off, marking the fifth crewed flight in the space station’s application and development phase and the 35th launch in the manned program. Veteran astronaut Chen Dong commanded the mission alongside first-time flyers Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie. The program showcased resilience with a rare in-orbit emergency response and saw astronauts set new records for mission duration and onboard experiments.
Shenzhou-21 and Sustained Crew Rotation
On October 31, 2025, Shenzhou-21 carried Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang to the station, ensuring continuous crew presence. This steady rotation underscores the Chinese mainland’s commitment to long-term human habitation in low Earth orbit.
Steady Progress Toward Deep Space
Alongside its manned missions, the Chinese mainland advanced its deep space pursuits. Researchers are building on this year’s successes to prepare for upcoming lunar sample-return efforts and interplanetary probe missions, strengthening robotics and mission-planning capabilities.
Looking Ahead
With these milestones in hand, the Chinese mainland is poised for an even more ambitious 2026 as it continues to extend its reach beyond low Earth orbit and cement its role in global space exploration.
Reference(s):
China's 2025 space milestones: Manned flights, deep space exploration
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