Shenzhou-21 Receives New Supplies, Continues Experiments | China Space Station
Nearly 200 days into their mission aboard China's Tiangong Space Station, the Shenzhou-21 astronauts, Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, remain in good condition. After receiving fresh supplies from the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft recently, they have pressed ahead with a new round of in-orbit experiments, facility maintenance, and health checks.
The three astronauts entered the space station on Nov 1, 2025. Having completed a full six-month stay in excellent condition as of early May, the crew has begun their one-month extended mission aboard the Tiangong space station. With the extension, the Shenzhou-21 mission is poised to surpass the previous orbital record of 204 days set by the Shenzhou-20 crew.
On May 6, 2026, the crew completed preparations for the departure of the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft that undocked from the space station at 16:34 Beijing time. The astronauts monitored the separation process via a live cabin feed, bidding farewell to Tianzhou-9.
Five days later, on May 11, Tianzhou-10 was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. The crew watched the launch and docking live on the cabin screens, and that evening they opened the hatches to begin unpacking the nearly 6.2 tonnes of new supplies.
The Tianzhou-10 delivery includes experiment payloads, test units, samples, consumables and spare parts, supporting 41 space science research projects in orbit. Among them is a highly anticipated experiment on synthetic human embryo models (also known as artificial embryos) in space, designed to explore the effects of microgravity and space radiation on early human development and tissue formation.
The crew has also been conducting a range of scientific tests. Using laptops and specialized software, they have performed behavior tests to study the patterns and mechanisms of exploration, utilization and decision-making in space, as well as the influence of microgravity and shifting attention on the asymmetry of upward and downward visual fields.
In the field of microgravity physical science, the astronauts have completed tasks, such as replacing combustion experiment plug sampling covers and burners according to the experimental schedule for microgravity combustion research.
In terms of space station platform maintenance, the crew has carried out routine tasks including organizing cabin supplies and inspecting equipment for the regenerative life support system.
For health management, they have regularly performed ultrasound scans of the abdomen, heart and blood vessels, electrocardiograms, ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, and intraocular pressure and fundus examinations. The collected in-orbit physiological data are transmitted to ground teams for continuous dynamic medical monitoring and health assessment.
In the coming days, the Shenzhou-21 crew will continue with scheduled tasks including inventory checks, transfer of supplies, and in-orbit equipment inspections, steadily advancing their mission objectives.
Shenzhou-21 Crew
Zhang Lu (张陆) - Commander & Pilot - 2nd spaceflight
Wu Fei (武飞) Flight Engineer - 1st spaceflight
Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) - Payload Specialist - 1st spaceflight
Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 2 minutes
Release Date: May 17, 2026
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