China launched the manned spacecraft Shenzhou 21 on October 31 (local time), which will stay at the Tiangong space station for six months to conduct scientific research, including the breeding of mice.
China's manned spacecraft Shenzhou 21 was launched on the afternoon of the 31st from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center aboard the Long March 2F Yao 21 rocket. Photo by Xinhua News Agency
According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, at approximately 11:46 p.m. on this day, China launched Shenzhou 21 aboard the Long March 2F Yao-21 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province.
The launch of Shenzhou 21 marks the sixth manned mission related to the utilization and development of the space station. It is the 37th mission overall in China’s manned spaceflight program. Three male astronauts are aboard Shenzhou 21. They will replace the Shenzhou 20 crew and stay at China’s independently constructed Tiangong space station for six months, during which they will conduct 27 space science and application experiments.
In particular, Shenzhou 21 is carrying live mice to conduct China’s first mammalian space breeding experiment. Experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences selected 48 final candidates from a total of 300 mice after adaptation training, and on the day before the launch, four mice-two females and two males-were finally chosen. The Shenzhou 21 crew will focus on studying how space conditions such as microgravity and confinement affect the behavioral patterns of the mice. The mice will later be used for additional research on stress responses and other topics after returning to Earth.
The astronauts will also carry out tasks such as extravehicular activities, cargo management, and the installation of space debris protection equipment. In addition, they plan to engage in science education and public outreach activities for the next generation, as well as conduct in-orbit experiments.
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