Shenzhou-21 crew performed fluid physics operations including replacing samples in the fluid physics experiment cabinet and cleaning and replacing gun barrel samples in the containerless cabinet.
Shenzhou-21 reached its three-month point in orbit during the week of the Tiangong TV episode dated February 1st, 2026.
The Shenzhou-21 crew completed station environment tasks including wind speed and temperature measurements, personal noise exposure dose measurements, and station environment organization.
Zhang Hongzhang is the Payload Expert for Shenzhou-21 on his first spaceflight.
The Shenzhou-21 crew underwent medical examinations including dynamic electrocardiogram and blood pressure monitoring, non-invasive cardiac function tests, abdominal, vascular, and muscular ultrasounds, bone density measurements, and hearing tests.
Zhang Lu is the Commander and Pilot of Shenzhou-21 on his second spaceflight.
Wu Fei is the Flight Engineer for Shenzhou-21 on his first spaceflight.
The Shenzhou-21 crew conducted planned lower-limb force stimulation tests using adhesive abdominal equipment, collecting electromyography and muscle ultrasound data during exercise in microgravity.
The crew of Shenzhou-20 returned safely aboard Shenzhou-21 on 14 November 2025.
On 9 December 2025, Shenzhou-21 crew members conducted an extravehicular activity to capture high-definition images of the affected Shenzhou-20 hatch and confirm the state of the detected crack.
Zhang Hongzhang is the Payload Expert for Shenzhou-21 on his first spaceflight, was born in 1986, is from Binzhou, Shandong province, was selected as part of China’s third taikonaut group in October 2020, previously worked as a researcher at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences focusing on new materials and battery technology, and joined the Communist Party of China in 2004.
China launched the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft to carry items to repair Shenzhou-20 for a cargo-carrying return for the Shenzhou-21 taikonauts.
Shenzhou-21 taikonauts installed a window crack repair device inside Shenzhou-20 to improve thermal protection and sealing capabilities during reentry.
The Shenzhou-21 crew of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang remained aboard the Tiangong Space Station nearly three months into their mission while continuing to support scientific experiments and technology research.
Wu Fei is the Flight Engineer for Shenzhou-21 on his first spaceflight, was born in 1993, is from Baotou in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was selected as part of China’s third taikonaut group in October 2020, previously worked as an engineer at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and joined the Communist Party of China in 2015.
On December 9, 2025, Shenzhou-21 crew conducted close-range photography of Shenzhou-20 reentry capsule portholes using high-definition cameras to confirm the status of cracks.
Shenzhou-21 crew performed routine tasks including organizing station supplies, cleaning the environment, inspecting and maintaining equipment, undergoing medical examinations such as hearing tests, and conducting regular physical exercises like running.
Shenzhou-21 crew used a space-based Raman spectrometer to detect metabolic components in urine samples for improving characteristic metabolite indicator systems and evaluation criteria.
Shenzhou-21 crew completed sample collection and storage for a research project investigating the relationship between the origin of the genetic code and chirality of amino acids and nucleosides in the space environment.
Zhang Lu is the Commander and Pilot of Shenzhou-21 on his second spaceflight and previously flew on Shenzhou-15 between November 2022 and June 2023.