Shenzhou-21 crew advances space experiments, equipment maintenance on Tiangong

China

Shenzhou-21 crew advances space experiments, equipment maintenance on Tiangong

2026-03-15 13:59 Last Updated At：03-16 00:37

China's Shenzhou-21 astronauts have steadily carried out a series of tasks aboard the Tiangong space station over the past week, including in-orbit experiments, equipment maintenance and health monitoring, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Sunday.

The crew, comprised of mission commander Zhang Lu and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, have spent more than four months in orbit and remain in good health, according to the CMSA.

Inside the station's core module, cherry tomatoes cultivated using a water aeroponic device are thriving. The astronauts documented the plants with photos, harvested ripe fruit and sealed both plants and produce separately for preservation.

Building on the success of the cherry tomato cultivation, the team will conduct aeroponic experiments with wheat, carrots, and both medicinal and edible plants as planned. These trials aim to validate key technologies and expand the range of crops and technical capabilities for space cultivation.

In the field of space materials science, the crew completed several tasks, including cleaning the experimental chamber in the unpressurized compartment, replacing experimental samples, maintaining the electrodes of the central mechanism, and cleaning the window cover of the central mechanism.

They also completed related microgravity combustion science experiments, which included replacing the burner and sampling cover inside the experiment cabinet, as well as vacuumization and exhaust gas discharge.

Additional work included maintenance of the regenerative life support system equipment, microorganism monitoring and assessment and medical training, which helps familiarize the astronauts with the rescue operation methods and force application characteristics in a microgravity environment.

The Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Oct 31, 2025, sending the three astronauts to the orbiting space station on a six-month mission.

In-depth cultural exchanges between China, Jordan shows mutual respect: former PM

The tightening cultural relations between China and Jordan shows deep recognition and mutual respect to each other, former Prime Minister of Jordan Omar Razzaz said.

So far, multiple Chinese universities have established a regular cooperation mechanism with their Jordanian counterparts. Jordan now also has a complete Chinese language learning system from undergraduate to postgraduate levels.

In a recent interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Razzaz talked about the increasingly frequent cultural exchanges between the two nations.

He believes that these have demonstrated the two countries' considerable recognition as well as mutual respect.

"You have technology and cutting-edge products and innovation, etc., but you maintain your culture and history and all of this coexists. Now, part of country's respects for each other is to learn each other's languages. And I'm always amazed when I see Chinese diplomats in Jordan speaking perfect Arabic. That's a sign of respect, and vice versa. When we have universities and programs that teach Jordanian students to speak Chinese, that's also a recognition first, a form of respect to this culture," Razzaz said.

Although technology and economy play a significant role in bilateral cooperation, he said, cultural exchanges will push the partnership further and deeper which cannot live without.

"There are only two languages in the world where the letter is highly respected and revered. It is Chinese and Arabic. And that got us to work with each other on having these exchanges and building mutual understanding of something that is cultural and common. So yes, it's EVs and it's AI and robotics, but it needs to be poetry and culture and dance and calligraphy," Razzaz noted.