China is set to launch its Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft at 11:44 p.m. Friday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). 

The mission will send three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, to the country's space station for a six-month stay, where they will carry out space science experiments, technology verification and maintenance work.

Commander Zhang Lu, a veteran astronaut who previously flew on Shenzhou-15, will lead the crew. With 186 days of flight experience and four spacewalks under his belt, Zhang Lu said the mission represents both "a return to space and a greater responsibility."

"In this mission, my greatest challenge may stem from transitioning into the role of commander," Zhang said in an interview with China Media Group (CMG).

"I must lead two young teammates to complete the task at the space station, ensuring their safety and making the right decision without delay," he said.

Despite his experience, Zhang Lu said he approached training with a "zero-based mindset," emphasizing precision in every maneuver, especially during underwater simulations in the neutral buoyancy tank. He noted that the intergenerational makeup of the crew, born in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, has created a dynamic of "complementarity and inspiration" in their teamwork.

He added that, beyond regular space station maintenance, the team will continue installing protective panels initiated by the Shenzhou-18 crew, "giving the station a complete layer of protection to make it stronger, more stable, and more reliable for future operations."

For Wu Fei, the youngest taikonaut ever to join a Chinese crewed space mission at 32, the journey to space began two decades ago in his hometown of Siziwang Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, where the country's first astronaut Yang Liwei landed after the Shenzhou-5 mission in 2003.

"That moment sparked my interest in China's space program," said Wu, who later studied aerospace engineering at Beihang University and worked at the China Academy of Space Technology before joining the astronaut corps.

Wu recalled that the toughest part of astronaut selection was enduring hyper-gravity and vestibular function tests. "It's not just a physical test but a test of willpower and passion," he told CMG.

After five years of rigorous preparation and one year of joint crew training, Wu said he felt both relief and responsibility upon being selected for Shenzhou-21 mission.

"To those who dream of space exploration," he said. "May you forever gaze upward to the stars while keeping your feet firmly on the ground. True breakthroughs come from those who dedicate years to their field rather than chasing trends."

Zhang Hongzhang, a 39-year-old researcher from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, will serve as payload specialist, focusing on experiments in energy storage and power supply.

"My background in energy storage and new materials aligns well with space research," he said. "I have designed related experiments for the station and hope to achieve very satisfactory results."

Zhang Hongzhang emphasized that beyond operating and maintaining the station, "a bigger task is to produce more output in space." The goal, he said, is to "help generate scientific results that can advance technology and benefit society."

As China continues its steady progress toward deeper space exploration, the Shenzhou-21 mission highlights the country's expanding capabilities, and the new generation of taikonauts ready to carry those ambitions into orbit.