Shenzhou-20 Docks with Chinese Space Station, Ushering in New Crew

A simulated image from the Beijing Aerospace Control Center, dated April 24, 2025, depicts the Shenzhou-20 manned spaceship successfully docked with the Tianhe core module of the space station. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed the successful docking of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship with the space station combination late Thursday night.

The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft docked with the radial port of the Tianhe core module at 11:49 pm Beijing Time on Thursday. The entire docking procedure took approximately 6.5 hours. The three taikonauts aboard Shenzhou-20 are scheduled to enter the Tianhe core module. The Shenzhou-19 crew has prepared to welcome the new crew.

The Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China at 5:17 pm on Thursday. It was carried by the Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying taikonauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie to China's space station. After a flight of about 10 minutes, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit.

The launch day of Shenzhou-20 coincided with China's 10th Space Day. China established April 24 as its Space Day in 2016, commemorating the successful launch of its first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, on April 24, 1970.

The mission's main goals include completing an in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-19 crew, a roughly six-month stay at the space station, conducting experiments in space science and applications, and performing extravehicular activities and cargo transfer tests. Shenzhou-20 is the 35th flight mission of China's manned space program and the fifth crewed mission during the application and development phase of China's space station. The crew is expected to return to the Dongfeng landing site in North China in late October of this year.