China Launches Youngest-Ever Crew for Space Station

• 28 Oct 2023

On 26^th October, 2023, China successfully launched its youngest-ever crew to its orbiting space station, the Tiangong, as part of its ambitious goal to place astronauts on the moon before 2030.

Key Points

• Young Crew: The three-member crew aboard the Shenzhou 17 is notably young, with an average age of 38, making them the youngest team since the start of the space station construction mission.
• This reflects China's commitment to advancing its space program with fresh talent.
• Moon Ambitions: China is actively pursuing plans to send astronauts to the moon by the end of this decade.
• This goal is part of China's efforts to compete with the United States in achieving significant milestones in space exploration.
• The moon mission is a symbol of the rivalry between the world's two largest economies across multiple domains, including technology, military, and diplomacy.
• Mission Objectives: The new crew will be involved in various activities and experiments, including space medicine, space technology, and station equipment installation and maintenance.
• Their mission will be comprehensive and contribute to the ongoing research and development on the space station.
• New Telescope: The China Manned Space Agency has also unveiled plans to send a new telescope into space for deep-space exploration.
• This telescope will enable extensive surveys and sky mapping. However, no specific timeframe has been provided for its installation.
• China's Space Endeavors: China's space program is rooted in centuries of astronomical research, and in modern times, it has worked diligently to become a leader in space exploration and scientific endeavors.
• It created its own space station after being excluded from the International Space Station, primarily due to U.S. concerns about the program's control.
• Space Accomplishments: China made history in 2003 by becoming the third country, following the former Soviet Union and the U.S., to independently send an astronaut into space.
• While the U.S. holds certain advantages in terms of spending, supply chains, and capabilities, China has achieved significant milestones in space, including lunar sample return missions and exploration of the far side of the moon.
• Global Space Competitions: Beyond lunar ambitions, both China and the United States have landed rovers on Mars and are eyeing missions to asteroids.
• The competition extends to various domains in space exploration, with both nations aiming to lead in these endeavors.