Shenzhou 12 spacecraft launched 2011

Shenzhou 12 crew (L-R): Tang Hongbo, Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming

Shenzhou 12 mission patch

Shenzhou 12, launched June 17, 2021, carried three taikonauts on the first flight to the Tiangong space station.  It was also the first crewed Chinese flight since Shenzhou 11 in 2016. Its crew consisted of Commander Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo. The crew conducted two EVAs during their stay. 

Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo conducted the first spacewalk on July 4, completing installation of the station's robotic arm, and installed exterior equipment for use on future missions.  Their EVA lasted 6 hours 46 minutes.

The two taikonauts conducted a second EVA on August 20 to test spacecraft equipment, install a backup thermal control pump, and installed and raised panoramic camera D on the Tianhe core module.  The EVA lasted almost 6 hours.

The crew returned to Earth on September 17, after more than 92 days in space.

Zhurong, Chinese rover, deploys on Mars 2021

Zhurong, the first rover from the Chinese National Space Administration, was deployed on Mars May 22, 2021.  China is the second country to land a rover on Mars.

Zhurong, named after the Chinese fire god, was launched aboard Tianwen-1 in July 2020, and landed May 15, 2021 in the Utopia Planitia.  The rover was deployed a week later. By August 15, it had completed its original planned tasks and outlived its lifespan on August 18. Chinese scientists extended the mission to investigate an ancient coastal area on Mars.

It slept from October 8-20 due to strong solar radiation between Earth and Mars.  After its brief rest, it continued traveling south.  In May 2022, Zhurong was switched into hibernation mode to protect against the Martian winter and a major sandstorm approaching.  It was expected to wake up on December 26, 2022, but by January, CNSA scientists still had not received a signal. Observations by the Tianwen-1 orbiter showed Zhurong had been covered with dust and debris, limiting its ability to collect sunlight to recharge. The build up of the dust could render the rover inactive "forever". 

Tianwen-1, Chinese spacecraft, reaches Mars 2021

Launched in July 2020, Tianwen-1, an interplanetary mission by the Chinese National Space Administration, successfully reached Mars February 10, 2021.  The spacecraft carried two deployable cameras, a lander, a remote camera, and the Zhurong rover.  

Tianwen-1 arrived just one day after the United Arab Emirates Space Agency's Hope orbiter.

Happy birthday, Chinese astronaut Fei Julong!

Fei Julong, born May 5, 1965 in China, went into space aboard Shenzhou 6, the second manned spaceflight of the Chinese National Space Administration.  He spent over four days in space.  

An asteroid, 9512 Feijulong, is named after him.