Giant panda twin cubs, Qian Ran and Qian Yi, officially began their outdoor activities on Wednesday at Shanghai Wild Animal Park according to a plan to help them better adapt to the natural environment.
The twins, one male and one female, are now seven months old. They were seen climbing, playing together, and drinking milk from bowls, delighting visitors at the outdoor area with their cute movements.
Older sister Qian Ran showed more curiosity about the swing. After feeling its gentle sway, she moved on to challenge the large yellow rolling drum toy. Her brother Qian Yi, meanwhile, tried to climb to the top of a wooden climbing frame. Their endearingly clumsy antics had visitors reaching for their cameras.
"Today is my first time seeing Qian Ran and Qian Yi outdoors, and I'm super happy," said a tourist.
The twins were born on Aug 22, 2025, to their mother Qian Jin, marking her first birth. Now both cubs weigh over 14 kilograms and are growing well, with strong physiques and energetic personalities.
The siblings are still primarily fed on their mother's milk and supplemental formula. The park said the cubs' outdoor time is currently limited to under 30 minutes and will be gradually extended.
Twin panda cubs at Shanghai zoo officially begin outdoor adventures
The combination of the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket, about to lift off Sunday night, now stands ready at the launch pad, with final preparations for the crewed mission proceeding in an orderly manner.
The launch is scheduled for 23:08 Beijing Time (15:08 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. At 12:08 (04:08 GMT), the launch sequence entered its final 11-hour phase.
Later Sunday afternoon, the mission personnel will load time-sensitive payloads into the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft. The four sets of rotating platforms enclosing the spacecraft-rocket combination are expected to be opened gradually around 21:00 (13:00 GMT).
The Shenzhou-23 crew consists of Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying, with Zhu serving as the commander. They are now in good physical and mental condition and are fully qualified for the mission, according to China Manned Space Engineering Office.
In the hours leading up to the launch, the crew will focus on final checks of their physical, psychological and technical readiness, as well as will review key flight procedures and contingency plans to ensure they are in optimal condition for their journey into space.
Based on the latest meteorological consultation, weather conditions at the launch site are favorable for liftoff, with a temperature of around 19 degrees Celsius, westerly winds at four to six meters per second, and no sandstorms or precipitation.
Meanwhile, a cargo package containing nine scientific experiment samples and devices — including rice seeds and liver cells — has already been installed aboard the spaceship.
At around 17:00 (0900 GMT) Saturday, the rocket completed the loading of its oxidizer and fuel. Currently, all systems — including the rocket, the spacecraft, the launch site, and the telemetry, tracking and command network — have entered pre-launch procedures.
"All participating test systems have completed final check and confirmation of equipment and key personnel. The rocket propellant filling work was carried out smoothly according to the scheduled timeline. The Tiangong space station combination is operating stably in orbit, with preparations for docking and crew rotation now complete. The Shenzhou-23 crew members are in good physical and mental condition and are fully qualified for the mission. Currently, the technical status of all systems is under control, and all indicators meet the mission requirements," said Jian Bin, staff member of China Manned Space Engineering Office.
Final preparations underway as Shenzhou-23 crewed mission set for liftoff
