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Shenzhou 21

retired
Human SpaceflightLEOCOSPAR 2025-246ALaunched 10/31/2025
Admin Edit
Mission & Launch
Launch Mission
Shenzhou 21 Mission
Launch Vehicle
Long March 2F G
Launch Date
10/31/2025
Last Contact
11/14/2025
Orbit & Mass
Orbit Class
LEO
Altitude
387.5 km
Inclination
41.47 deg
Dry Mass
3,258 kg
Total Mass
8,100 kg
Payload Classification
Mission Type
Human Spaceflight
Payload Category
SS
Payload Class
C
Organizations
Operator
China Manned Space Agency (CMSA)
Manufacturer
China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)
Registry
COSPAR ID
2025-246A
Track
Mentions
345
All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.
0.0-5.0
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The Shenzhou-21 crew has been in orbit for six months.

PlanGeneralValue 2.0May 3, 2026Shenzhou-21 Crew Support Further Experiments With Mission Extension

The Shenzhou-21 crew completed its third spacewalk before resuming in-orbit activities.

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GeneralValue 4.0May 3, 2026Shenzhou-21 Crew Support Further Experiments With Mission Extension

Tiangong Space Station has about one month of remaining onboard supplies for the Shenzhou-21 crew.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.0May 3, 2026Shenzhou-21 Crew Support Further Experiments With Mission Extension

The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang.

GovernanceValue 3.0May 3, 2026Shenzhou-21 Crew Support Further Experiments With Mission Extension

The Shenzhou-21 crew is collecting human kinematic data in microgravity to analyze posture characteristics and intra-cabin movement patterns.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.6May 3, 2026Shenzhou-21 Crew Support Further Experiments With Mission Extension

At present, the Shenzhou-21 crew has the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft.

GeneralValue 2.0Apr 22, 2026Final Two Pakistani Astronaut Candidates Chosen Ahead of Shenzhou-24 Mission

The Shenzhou-20 crew returned home on the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft after the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft was struck by space debris.

GeneralValue 3.0Apr 22, 2026Final Two Pakistani Astronaut Candidates Chosen Ahead of Shenzhou-24 Mission

Shenzhou-21 crew completed a 5.5-hour EVA at 17:36 UTC on April 16, 2026.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Apr 19, 2026clips from Shenzhou-21's 3rd EVA

Shenzhou-21 crew completed a 5.5-hour EVA at 17:36 UTC on April 16, 2026.

CapabilityValue 4.0Apr 17, 2026Shenzhou-21 crew completed a 5.5-hour EVA at 17:36UTC April 16.

The Shenzhou-21 extravehicular activity lasted 5.5 hours.

CapabilityValue 4.0Apr 16, 2026Another Chinese launch coming up in a few hours’ time, but firstly a remark that spacewalks on the Chinese Space Station are now little more than footnotes in the records these days as they don’t even bother to report on them beforehand:

Wu Fei and Zhang Lu installed space debris protection devices on the Mengtian module during the Shenzhou-21 crew’s third spacewalk.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Apr 16, 2026Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3]

The Shenzhou-21 crew has the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft after a space debris strike to the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft.

GeneralValue 4.0Apr 16, 2026Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3]

The Shenzhou-21 crew performed their third spacewalk outside the Tiangong Space Station.

GeneralCapabilityValue 3.5Apr 16, 2026Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3]

Wu Fei completed his third extravehicular activity during the Shenzhou-21 crew’s third spacewalk.

GeneralValue 3.0Apr 16, 2026Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3]

The Shenzhou-20 crew returned to Earth in the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft after the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft was struck by space debris.

PlanGeneralValue 2.0Apr 16, 2026Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3]

Shenzhou-21 astronauts Zhang Lu and Wu Fei completed the mission's third extravehicular activity at 1736 UTC on April 16, 2026.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Apr 16, 2026Again, no advanced warning: Shenzhou-21 astronauts Zhang Lu and Wu Fei completed the mission's 3rd, 5.5-hour long, EVA at 1736 UTC April 16. Mission to be extended by ~1 month due to emergency SZ-22 launch. pic.

The Tianhe, Wentian, and Mengtian modules were inspected for damage and anomalies during the Shenzhou-21 crew’s third spacewalk.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.5Apr 16, 2026Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3]

The Shenzhou-21 crew was healthy aboard Tiangong with visiting vehicles Shenzhou-22 and Tianzhou-9.

GeneralValue 4.0Apr 16, 2026Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3]

Shenzhou-21 astronauts Zhang Lu and Wu Fei completed the mission's third extravehicular activity at 1736 UTC on April 16, 2026.

GeneralValue 4.5Apr 16, 2026Another Chinese launch coming up in a few hours’ time, but firstly a remark that spacewalks on the Chinese Space Station are now little more than footnotes in the records these days as they don’t even bother to report on them beforehand:

The China Manned Space Agency planned to extend the Shenzhou-21 crew’s on-orbit stay by approximately one month.

PlanValue 4.0Apr 16, 2026Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3]