China is poised to launch the Shenzhou XXI mission, marking another significant milestone in its space exploration endeavors. The mission, scheduled for Friday night, will send three astronauts to the Tiangong space station for a six-month stay. The crew, led by mission commander Senior Colonel Zhang Lu, includes spaceflight engineer Major Wu Fei and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang. Their primary objectives include conducting 27 scientific projects, performing spacewalks, and undertaking China’s first in-orbit experimentation on rodents. The launch will take place at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, with the Long March 2F rocket propelling the Shenzhou XXI spacecraft into low-Earth orbit. The mission will also involve a crew shift, replacing the Shenzhou XX astronauts who have been aboard the space station for over six months. The Tiangong space station, completed in late 2022, remains the only independently operated space station in orbit. The Shenzhou XXI astronauts will focus on research in space life sciences, biotechnology, space medicine, and new spacecraft technologies. Additionally, the mission will observe the behavioral and physiological impacts of space on four mice, which will return to Earth for further analysis. This mission underscores China’s growing capabilities in space exploration and scientific innovation.