Chinese astronaut to spend a full year in orbit as Beijing ramps up Moon race
Key takeaways
- China is launching a three-man space flight to its Tiangong space station Sunday, where one astronaut will remain in orbit for a full year to prepare for future flights to the Moon.
- Issued on: 24/05/2026 - 15:31Modified: 24/05/2026 - 16:35
- By: FRANCE 24 The mission will mark the first spaceflight ever undertaken by an astronaut from Hong Kong.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
China is launching a three-man space flight to its Tiangong space station Sunday, where one astronaut will remain in orbit for a full year to prepare for future flights to the Moon. Beijing has said it aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030, having poured billions into its space programme over the past three decades.
Issued on: 24/05/2026 - 15:31Modified: 24/05/2026 - 16:35
By: FRANCE 24 The mission will mark the first spaceflight ever undertaken by an astronaut from Hong Kong. © CNS via AFP China is launching its Shenzhou-23 mission on Sunday, which will see a Chinese astronaut spend a full year in orbit for the first time, a crucial step in Beijing's ambition to send humans to the Moon by 2030.