China's Shenzhou-21 crew, currently aboard the orbiting Tiangong space station, said President Xi Jinping's New Year message delivered on Wednesday has inspired them to spare no effort in fulfilling their missions in space.
China launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship on Nov 1, 2025, sending the three astronauts to its space station for a six-month mission.
The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of mission commander Zhang Lu, and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. These three astronauts serve as space pilot, flight engineer and payload specialist, respectively, representing all three categories of Chinese astronauts currently being applied in the country's space endeavors.
The Shenzhou-21 crew members said that they will take practical actions and make new contributions to building China a space power.
"We watched President Xi's New Year message at the space station. He mentioned that 'we integrated science and technology deeply with industries, and made a stream of new innovations', which greatly inspired us and strengthened our aspirations and determination to explore the vast cosmos and build China into a space power. We will live up to our mission, forge ahead with courage, and make new contributions to building China a space power," said Zhang Lu.
"Over the past two months in orbit, we conducted our first extravehicular activity and have been advancing a series of space experiments. As an astronaut being in space for the first time, every day in space is a part of growth. In the remaining time in orbit, I will complete every task diligently and live up to the trust by my country and people," said Wu.
"For the first time, I'm welcoming the New Year in space. I'm always grateful to my great motherland when gazing at the blue Earth and the dazzling starry sky through the porthole. I will hone the tasks for excellence, ensuring absolute safety every day and every second in orbit, and write a proud new chapter in space exploration," said Zhang Hongzhang.
Xi's New Year message inspires China's Shenzhou-21 astronauts
