China launches three-crew spaceflight as part of lunar ambitions

A Long March 2-F rocket launched Shenzhou-23 from Jiuquan carrying three astronauts to the Tiangong space station. The mission includes the first astronaut from Hong Kong, Lai Ka-ying, and two other crew members, Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan, both making their first spaceflight. The crew will conduct scientific projects spanning life sciences, materials science, fluid physics, and medicine. A central objective is a full-year stay in orbit to examine the effects of long-duration microgravity. The year-long mission supports preparations for future lunar travel and possible deep-space missions by building operational experience and testing human and hardware performance. Key concerns include bone density loss, muscle wasting, radiation exposure, sleep disruption, psychological fatigue, and the need for reliable life-support systems and medical emergency capability far from Earth.

"Richard de Grijs, an astrophysicist and professor at Macquarie University in Australia, said the main challenges would be long-term effects on humans, including bone density loss, muscle wasting, radiation exposure, sleep disturbance and behavioural and psychological fatigue. He also underlined the importance of reliable water and air-recycling systems and the ability to manage potential medical emergencies far from Earth. He said China was steadily building operational experience for sustained occupation of the Tiangong space station, and year-long missions were an important step towards future lunar and potentially deep-space ambitions."

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