China is set to launch Mengzhou-1, the new spacecraft that will carry astronauts into orbit

China will launch Menghzou-1, its next-generation spacecraft designed to carry astronauts into space, in 2026, the Chinese Manned Space Administration (CMSA) announced on Saturday, Xinhua reports, according to Agerpres.

The Mengzhou vehicle is developed through a comprehensive upgrade of the Shenzhou line of manned space vehicles. The new type will adopt a modular design, comprising a return capsule and a service capsule, to provide transport between Earth and the Chinese space station Tiangong.

The Mengzhou-1 manned spacecraft will make its first flight into orbit using the Long March-10A launch vehicle from the Wenchang Space Launch Base in southern Hainan Province and will dock at the radial port of the central module of the Tiangong station.

Mengzhou-1 will verify the performance of the spacecraft's general systems while delivering instruments and supplies for environmental assessment, payloads for technology demonstrations, crew essentials, and experimental devices for applied science tests.

China will also launch the Shenzhou-22 and Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China next year. Each mission will carry a crew of three astronauts.

Shenzhou-22 will dock at the radial port of the center module of the Tiangong space station, while Shenzhou-23 will dock at its front port.

An astronaut from the Shenzhou-22 crew will remain in orbit for a long-duration space stay experiment that will last more than a year.

The tasks of the two manned space missions will also include conducting extravehicular activities (EVAs), delivering and retrieving cargo via the cargo pod, continuing space science experiments and technology tests, managing space station systems, performing crew support tasks, and conducting educational and public outreach activities.

In addition, China plans to launch the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft from the Wenchang Space Launch Base in 2026. It will dock at the port behind the core module of the Tiangong space station.

The primary tasks of this cargo spacecraft include delivering crew supplies and EVA suits, maintenance spares and fuel to keep the station safe and operational, as well as payloads and experimental samples for applied science projects. When it detaches from Tiangong and exits orbit, the cargo vehicle will dispose of debris picked up from the Chinese space station.