The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Monday unveiled the logos of three key missions that will take place this year as part of China’s manned space program: the launches of the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft and Shenzhou-21 and the Tianzhou-9 cargo ship.
These new logos not only symbolize the courage and determination of Chinese astronauts as well as their commitment to unlocking the mysteries of the universe, the CMSA said.
A separate logo has been designed for each manned mission since China’s first manned space flight, Shenzhou-5, in 2003. The CMSA has issued calls for logo proposals for the country’s space missions in 2023 and has maintained this approach since then.
According to the CMSA, the crews of the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 missions will each include three astronauts. Shenzhou-20 will dock with the radial port of the space station’s core module, while Shenzhou-21 will connect to the front port.
The main tasks assigned to the astronauts will include extravehicular activities, cargo deliveries via the station’s airlock module for loading, as well as conducting space science experiments and technology tests.
In the second half of 2025, China plans to launch the Tianzhou-9 cargo ship from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern province of Hainan. This mission will deliver supplies for astronauts, propellants to ensure the operation of the space station, various types of payloads, etc.
The Chinese manned space station project is now in its application and development phase. Two manned space missions and one to two cargo missions are planned each year.
