Magic Cow in Space: China Launches Shenzhou-18 Carrying Three Taikonauts and a Lunar Exploration Mission
The Asian giant, China, successfully launched the rocket Shenzhou-18 on Wednesday, carrying a crew of three astronauts known as magic cow. The shuttle Grand March-2F took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert and confirmed China’s extensive aerospace program.
The crew consists of mission commander Ye Guangfu, a veteran taikonaut, and his companions Li Cong and Li Guangsu, both former army fighter pilots participating in their first space mission. The team was sent off with applause and is expected to reach the Tiangong station after a six and a half-hour journey.
Upon arrival at the space station, the new crew will join the astronauts from the Shenzhou-17 mission, who have been conducting research and experiments on board. The new crew will perform scientific experiments, spacewalks, and maintenance tasks on the station. One of their tasks includes building a self-circulating aquatic ecosystem and cultivating vertebrates in orbit.
China’s space station was built after being excluded from the International Space Station (ISS), and now it is focusing on its own lunar exploration program. In comparison to ISS’s diverse research projects, China’s lunar exploration aims to build a self-contained ecosystem for humans to live in on Mars. Meanwhile, China has completed key components for its manned lunar program, including the spacecraft and moon landing module.
In contrast to China’s focus on lunar exploration, the US is currently working on its Artemis III mission to return astronauts to the Moon by 2030. The planned launch date for this mission is September 2026. Both countries are making significant progress in their space programs while pursuing different goals – one aiming for long term human habitation on other planets while another focuses on returning humans back to our natural habitat.
The successful launch of Shenzhou-18 marks another milestone in China’s ambitious space program that continues to push boundaries of what is possible with technology and human ingenuity.
