Overlooking mountains and rivers from high above: Dream-chasers from the Shenzhou-21 Crew

BEIJING , Nov. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China.org.cn on the Shenzhou-21 Crew:

Sizzling barbecued chicken wings and mouth-watering steaks, one bite and rich juices burst in your mouth…

Too ordinary, you say? But what if this is happening 400km above Earth, at China's space station?

On November 1, the six astronauts from China's Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 crews made a successful rendezvous in orbit. With their new equipment — a hot air oven, they had a BBQ feast in space.

The crew for Shenzhou-21 features an astronaut trio born in the 1970s, the 80s, and the 90s, respectively. Their roles — space pilot, flight engineer and payload specialist — complement one another, covering every facet of the mission.

Mission commander Zhang Lu has always dreamed of "reaching for the sky" since childhood. At the age of 46, as a member of China's second batch of astronauts, Zhang fulfilled his lifelong dream aboard the Shenzhou-15 mission. The fascinating universe deeply captivated Zhang. After returning to Earth, he faced the challenges of age — slower recovery and declining stamina. Yet he pushed himself harder than anyone in his training. "Passing every training test with the best performance possible, that's the standard I set for myself," Zhang said.

In 2024, Zhang Lu excelled after rounds of rigorous selection, and was named the mission commander of the Shenzhou-21 crew, leading two astronauts from China's third batch to once again knock on the door of the "Heavenly Palace" (Tiangong). In the trio, Wu Fei, who just turned 32, is so far the youngest astronaut in China's space program.

As an engineer, Wu Fei has taken part in a number of China's major space projects, from manned spaceflight to lunar and deep space exploration. When the call came for the selection of a spaceflight engineer, he signed up without a second thought. On the day he learned he had been chosen in 2020, he was fine-tuning the thermal test equipment of the Tianhe core cabin — the very cabin that he helped build and care for through countless trials, and that later became the "home" for him and other Chinese astronauts in orbit. After many years, one can imagine how proud and touched Wu Fei was when he "reunited" with this cabin away from the Earth.

The third member of the crew is Zhang Hongzhang, who is also a scientific researcher. As a payload specialist, he is responsible for conducting various scientific experiments aboard the station. Besides the ones designed by Zhang himself, there's another one that garners wide attention — the in-orbit breeding and observation of four mice, two males and two females. "The experiment projects in the space station carry the dedication and efforts of research staff on Earth, and to complete their work in space is not only an honor, but a profound responsibility," said Zhang Hongzhang.

Over a millennium ago, Song Dynasty poet Xin Qiji once dreamed: "On wings of wind 'neath the boundless sky I fly; overlook mountains and rivers from above high." Today, that vision has taken form — humanity can now look down upon the Earth, and even "reach" for the stars. The journey of exploring deep space stretches far and long, yet generations of astronauts and scientists have pressed on, upholding and advancing China's space endeavor.

We look forward to a smooth and successful mission for the Shenzhou-21 crew, and seeing them write a new chapter in China's manned spaceflight story.

China Mosaic

http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

Overlooking mountains and rivers from high above:Dream-chasers from the Shenzhou-21 Crew

http://www.china.org.cn/video/2025-11/14/content_118176667.shtml

SOURCE China.org.cn