China successfully launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship on Friday night to send three astronauts to its orbiting space station on a six-month mission, with newly released footage from China Media Group (CMG) showcasing the stunning ascent from multiple perspectives.
The spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off at 23:44 (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
About 10 minutes after the launch, the spaceship separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit. The astronauts are in good condition, and the launch of the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship was a complete success, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of mission commander Zhang Lu, who was previously a member of the Shenzhou-15 mission, alongside flight engineer Wu Fei and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, who are each embarking on their first spaceflight mission.
At 03:22 Saturday, after entering orbit, the Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft successfully docked with the front port of the Tianhe core module of the space station.
The entire docking process took approximately 3.5 hours, setting a new record for the fastest rendezvous and docking between a Shenzhou spacecraft and the space station.
After completing a handover with the Shenzhou-20 crew, the Shenzhou-21 astronauts are set to get work on a busy program of activities during their six-month stay in space.
Footage shows liftoff of Shenzhou-21 spaceship from multiple angles
Footage shows liftoff of Shenzhou-21 spaceship from multiple angles
Footage shows liftoff of Shenzhou-21 spaceship from multiple angles
The restricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz has triggered significant disruptions across the international shipping sector, driving up shipping costs and legal pressures related to shipping.
Iran has restricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital strategic waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, as part of its response to U.S. and Israeli military attacks that started on Feb 28.
The partial blockade of this vital global energy route has not only impacted global energy supplies but also caused a ripple effect on energy trading, shipping operations, and the insurance market.
Wai Yue Loh, partner of DAC Beachcroft, and a specialist in shipping, trade, commodities and insurance law said he has been dealing with questions from shipping clients after the conflict in Iran broke out.
He said the commodities traders bear the brunt of Strait of Hormuz crisis and explained the interconnected vulnerabilities across the three industries most affected.
"It's easy to forget that the first industry directly affected would be the commodities traders who are buying and reselling crude oil coming out from the Middle East. Crude oil cargoes from this region account for about 25 percent or more of the world's crude oil supplies. The second industry affected would be the shipowners or the ship operators whose ships are chartered by these commodities traders, in simple terms hired by these commodity traders, to carry these cargoes from the Persian Gulf to refineries around the world for refining. These refined products are then on-sold to other buyers worldwide. The third would be the insurance industry that provides, amongst other things, war risk cover for ships that are trading globally," he said.
With the rising risks of war, shipping companies face not only security challenges but also complex legal issues such as rising insurance costs, increased uncertainty in contract performance, and the apportionment of liability, he added.
Hormuz Strait crisis delivers severe blow to global shipping industry
