China’s Upcoming Shenzhou-18 Mission: A New Beginning for Space Exploration on the Moon

As part of its ambitious space program, China has announced the upcoming Shenzhou-18 mission, which will send three astronauts to the Tiangong space station. The mission aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030 as a crucial component of China’s space exploration plans.

The crew for this mission includes Commander Ye Guangfu, a fighter pilot and astronaut who previously participated in the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021. He expressed his confidence in completing the mission, describing it as a “new beginning.” Joining him on the mission is Li Cong and Li Guangsu, both on their first space mission.

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, the deputy director general of the China Manned Space Agency.

China’s Tiangong space station is a crucial component of its ambitious space program. The station is continuously manned by teams of three astronauts, with the Shenzhou-17 team due to be replaced by the new crew. China’s space program under President Xi Jinping aims to rival the United States and Russia in space exploration and has plans to send a manned mission to the Moon and establish a lunar base by 2030.