Shenzhou is a Chinese Spacecraft with manned capabilities. Shenzhou means Divine Ship (God Vessel or Magic Vessel). It is launched on a Long March 2F booster from Jiuquan.
Shenzhou resembles the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. It is composed of three parts: the orbital module at the front end, the re-entry capsule in the middle, and the service module at the base.
Specs
Length: 9.25 m
Diameter: 2.80 m
Volume: 14.00 m³
Total mass: 7,840 kg
Brief History
The first launch of the Shenzhou Spacecraft was 19 November, 1999. It orbited around the Earth 14 times before it landed under parachute within Inner Mongolia, 21 hours after liftoff. Since those early test flights, the Shenzhou Spacecraft has become the core vehicle for China’s human space program, transitioning from initial space lab dockings to permanent orbital operations.
The second flight of Shenzhou 2 was on the 9th January, 2001. It carried a monkey, a dog and a rabbit.
Shenzou 3 was launched on the 25th, March 2002.
Shenzhou 4 was the last unmanned test of the spacecraft. It carried a test dummy and performed several science experiments. It was on launched on December 29, 2002.
Yang Liwei was the China’s first astronaut in space (Taikonaut). He was launched on Shenzhou 5 on October 15, 2003.
Shenzhou 6 was China’ second manned mission. It was launched on October 12, 2005.
Shenzhou 7 was launched on 25 September 2008. The mission featured the first Chinese Space Walk.
Shenzhou 8 was launched on October 31, 2011. The unmanned spacecraft performed China’s first space docking (with the Tiangong 1 space module).
Shenzhou 9 performed China’s first manned docking (with the Tiangong 1 module) in 2012.
Shenzhou 10: Launched on 11 June, 2013 to Tiangong 1.
Shenzhou 11: First manned mission to Tiangong-2. Launched on 17 October, 2016.
Shenzhou 12: Launched on June 17, 2021, this was the first crewed mission to dock with the new Tianhe core module, marking the start of permanent Chinese habitation in space.
Shenzhou 13 to 19: These missions established routine six-month crew rotations aboard the fully assembled Tiangong Space Station. They focused on long-duration stay biology experiments, extensive spacewalks, and advanced science payloads.
Shenzhou 20: Launched on 24 April 2025, this flight carried a three-person crew to continue continuous operations on Tiangong.
Shenzhou 21: Launched on October 31, 2025, using a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
Shenzhou 22: Prepared as an uncrewed emergency/rescue-backup launch, standing ready on the pad in November 2025 to demonstrate rapid-response capability in the event of orbital debris issues.
Shenzhou 23: Launched on 24 May, 2026. It sent a three-person crew—including Hong Kong’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying—to begin a landmark one-year in-orbit stay experiment.
Next Generation Crew Spacecraft
While the classic three-module Shenzhou capsule remains active for Tiangong station runs, China is actively developing its successor, the Mengzhou next-generation crewed spaceship. Designed with a modular structure, Mengzhou will support both low Earth orbit crew rotations and upcoming deep space missions aimed at landing humans on the lunar surface by 2030.
Space Books
- The Chinese Space Programme: From Conception to Future Capabilities by Brian Harvey from Amazon.com
- The Chinese Space Program: A Mystery Within a Maze (Orbit: A Foundation Series)
by Joan Johnson-Freese from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
Also try space books section – it is great for second hand books or even auction sites like eBay.com and eBay.co.uk.
Shenzhou Spacecraft Links:
- Mwade’s Shenzhou Page:
- Space Today Online — China: The Nation at a Glance
- China Prepares Shenzhou-4 For Final Test Flight In December
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