China declared success as its youngest astronauts reached space.

31.10.2024

A Chinese spacecraft with three crew members, including China’s first female space engineer, successfully docked with the Tiangong space station after a six-hour journey. The crew will spend six months aboard, conducting experiments and performing spacewalks to prepare for China’s planned Moon mission by 2030. Beijing celebrated the Shenzhou 19 mission as a “complete success,” marking one of the 100 planned space launches for the year, in what is shaping up to be a record-breaking period in Chinese space exploration.

China’s ambitious program is gaining attention globally. NASA chief Bill Nelson earlier this year described the space race with China as a serious competition, with concerns that China may aim to claim lunar territory. Nelson also pointed to the military implications of China’s civilian space program, which has rapidly expanded in recent years. U.S. officials worry that China’s increased presence in space could impact future lunar resource access and shift the balance of power beyond Earth’s orbit.

Back home, China’s space achievements are celebrated widely, particularly in the support town of Dongfeng Space City, near the launch site. Streets are adorned with national flags, and parks display astronaut figures and rocket models, as locals gather to celebrate launches. Hundreds came together at the Shenzhou 19 sendoff, waving flags and cheering on the crew, including Wang Haoze, China’s first female space engineer, and Song Lingdong, a pilot inspired by China’s early space missions.

China’s space program has quickly made strides in recent years. In 2021, it successfully landed a rover on Mars, becoming only the second nation to do so, and it has begun deploying a planned constellation of satellites to provide global internet coverage. This progress highlights China’s technological prowess and its aspiration to rival the U.S. in space. Yet officials emphasize that their missions are peaceful, noting that their experiments on the space station also hold potential benefits for Earth, such as insights into osteoporosis treatments.

International media were invited to observe the launch, though access remained tightly controlled. Foreign journalists noted that security was strict and information was closely guarded, with signs warning locals against sharing secrets. As competition between the U.S. and China intensifies, the world’s two leading powers are extending their rivalries beyond Earth, preparing for what may become a struggle for resources and influence on the Moon and beyond.