China's space program just leveled up! Three astronauts soared into orbit Friday night aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft, kicking off a six-month mission to the Tiangong space station. The Long March-2F rocket lit up the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center sky at 11:44 PM Beijing Time – because even space exploration has a bedtime (just kidding, orbital mechanics wait for no one!).
Mission commander Zhang Lu leads the crew alongside astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. In a cosmic game of Among Us (but with way better graphics), their spacecraft will automatically dock with the Tianhe core module just 3.5 hours after launch. When connected, the station will form a massive three-module, three-spacecraft complex – basically the ultimate space LEGO set.
This 37th crewed mission in China's space program comes as:
🌌 Astronauts prepare to conduct 40+ scientific experiments
🔭 China advances its goal of permanent orbital presence
📡 Young engineers prove space tech isn't just for NASA memes anymore
While we won't see TikTok dances in zero gravity (yet), this mission brings us closer to understanding long-term space habitation. Who's ready for the future of interplanetary living?
