China recently celebrated a major milestone as its latest space mission successfully launched a crew to the Tiangong space station, marking another achievement in its ambitious space exploration goals. This mission, Shenzhou 19, includes a three-member team, featuring China’s first female space engineer, Wang Haoze. The crew, after a six-hour journey, docked with the space station where they will stay for six months, conducting experiments and participating in spacewalks. This mission is part of China’s broader goal to develop experience and expertise for a potential lunar mission by 2030.
China has declared Shenzhou 19’s launch a “complete success.” It is one of the 100 planned space launches for the year, a record number for China as it advances its goal of challenging the U.S. in the space sector. Reporters, including a BBC correspondent, were allowed rare access to witness the launch at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu, where the event was met with high public enthusiasm. Hundreds of spectators gathered to cheer on the astronauts, known as “taikonauts,” as the spacecraft lifted off, lighting up the Gobi Desert with a powerful blaze.
The Shenzhou 19 crew joined three other astronauts currently stationed on Tiangong as part of the Shenzhou 18 mission, which will end on November 4, when the Shenzhou 18 team returns to Earth. This overlapping crew transition signals China’s progress in maintaining a continuous human presence in space, reinforcing its commitment to establishing a foothold in the domain. President Xi Jinping has expressed a long-standing vision to develop China’s space industry, describing it as an “eternal dream” to build China into a dominant space power.
However, China’s rapid advancements in space exploration have caused concern in Washington, where some officials see these developments as a direct challenge to U.S. space leadership. Earlier this year, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commented on what he described as a “space race” between the U.S. and China, specifically regarding lunar exploration. Nelson warned that China might attempt to assert control over parts of the Moon, an area potentially rich in resources, a concern he believes is not merely scientific but strategic.
China’s achievements in space are celebrated within the country as symbols of national pride and progress. At Dongfeng Space City, a town built to support the Jiuquan launch site, the local streets are decorated with the Chinese flag, and various symbols of space exploration are displayed prominently, from astronaut statues to model rockets at roundabouts. Before launch, children, along with numerous spectators, gathered in the early hours to bid farewell to the Shenzhou 19 crew. Brass bands played patriotic music, and the atmosphere was one of collective celebration, underscoring the pride that China’s space program inspires.
Cai Xuzhe, the mission’s pilot and a veteran taikonaut, described feeling energized by the younger crew members, including the pioneering space engineer Wang Haoze. Standing alongside Song Lingdong, another young astronaut who had been inspired to join the space program since watching China’s first space station missions as a teenager, Cai expressed a shared commitment to achieving new milestones for China’s space program.
State media emphasized that Shenzhou 19’s crew represents China’s youngest team to date, signaling a generational shift within the space program. This emphasis on youth highlights China’s investment in the future of its space efforts, as the country has already chosen its next group of astronauts to train for potential lunar missions and continued work on the Tiangong space station.
In recent years, China’s space program has made headlines for a number of groundbreaking achievements. In 2021, China became only the second country to land a rover on Mars, with its Zhurong rover safely reaching the planet’s surface. Earlier this year, China completed a historic lunar mission, retrieving rock and soil samples from the Moon’s far side—a feat previously unachieved by any other space agency. China is also actively deploying satellites and plans to build a constellation of 14,000 broadband internet satellites, which it hopes will one day rival SpaceX’s Starlink system. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, has acknowledged China’s impressive progress, suggesting that the country’s advancements in space technology are further along than many realize.
However, concerns have grown in the U.S. about the potential militarization of China’s space capabilities. General Stephen Whiting, head of U.S. Space Command, remarked at a recent symposium that both China and Russia are advancing their space technologies at “breathtaking speed,” with China tripling its number of intelligence and surveillance satellites since 2018. He claimed that this network, which some refer to as a “kill web” over the Pacific, is designed to locate and track U.S. and allied military assets.
In response to such concerns, Li Yingliang, a senior official at China’s Manned Space Agency, dismissed the notion of a “race” between the U.S. and China. He emphasized that China’s space program is intended for peaceful purposes, focusing on the collective mission of advancing humanity’s understanding of space. Li underscored China’s commitment to international collaboration, citing plans for future cooperative efforts in various space technologies.
Yet, this “new space race” involves more than the symbolic race to reach the Moon. The Moon’s natural resources, including rare minerals and metals like titanium and iron, and helium-3, which has applications in superconductor technologies and medical equipment, are highly valuable. The economic potential of lunar resources has led to estimates ranging from billions to trillions of dollars, sparking interest from multiple countries. However, as the article notes, while these resources offer significant potential value, the technology required for mining and returning them to Earth remains a long-term prospect.
Chinese officials emphasize that the Tiangong space station’s experiments offer potential benefits beyond space exploration. Research conducted in microgravity environments aboard Tiangong has led to findings that could have medical applications on Earth. For instance, studies on bone and muscle loss in space have revealed similarities to osteoporosis and other degenerative conditions in humans. According to Zhang Wei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, these findings could help develop treatments for bone loss and muscle atrophy, underscoring the practical value of space-based research.
China’s commitment to its space goals is evident in its extensive roadmap for future exploration. This roadmap includes plans for a lunar research station, missions to bring back samples from Venus, and over 30 more space missions by mid-century. Despite these ambitious targets, Chinese officials are careful to temper their rhetoric, often framing their achievements as modest compared to other nations. Ding Chibiao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently remarked that China’s space accomplishments still trail behind developed countries.
The challenges facing China’s lunar aspirations are considerable. Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency, acknowledges that landing humans on the Moon will require complex technology and coordination. He stated that China’s space agency remains determined to push forward, invoking the spirit of the “two bombs and one star” program, a reference to China’s historical development of atomic and hydrogen bombs and its first satellite, symbolizing China’s resilience and self-reliance in scientific advancement. Lin expressed confidence that China’s dream of landing astronauts on the Moon would become a reality.
President Xi has been a vocal supporter of China’s space initiatives, prioritizing them even amid economic challenges. However, despite allowing international media to observe its launches, China exercises strict control over information related to its space program. Journalists are managed carefully, with trips from accommodations to launch sites tightly controlled and security personnel monitoring their activities. A large sign near the launch center warns against leaking secrets, reflecting China’s sensitivity toward protecting its technological advancements in an increasingly competitive global environment.
As space exploration increasingly becomes a field of geopolitical rivalry, China and the U.S. are poised to expand their interests beyond Earth. With ambitious plans for lunar missions, Mars exploration, and satellite networks, both nations are taking steps to secure their positions in what many see as the next frontier of resource competition. The potential for territorial claims on the Moon and other celestial bodies suggests that the emerging space race will shape not only technological development but also international relations and economic strategies in the years to come.
China’s space program continues to evolve, balancing scientific objectives with national pride. Its latest mission, Shenzhou 19, demonstrates China’s growing capabilities and ambitions, symbolizing a significant step in the country’s journey toward space leadership. As China and the U.S. pursue their respective space goals, the world watches to see how this new era of exploration and competition will unfold, potentially altering the balance of power both on Earth and beyond.
