* Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, will carry out the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, with Zhu serving as the commander.
* An astronaut from the Shenzhou-23 crew is set to carry out a one-year-long in-orbit stay experiment, and the astronaut selected for the year-long stay will be determined based on how the mission unfolds in orbit.
* The crew will conduct more than 100 new science and application projects, focusing on frontier fields such as space life science, materials science, microgravity fluid physics, aerospace medicine and new space technologies.
JIUQUAN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying, or Lai Ka-ying in Cantonese, will carry out the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission, with Zhu serving as the commander, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Saturday.
The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 11:08 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, said Zhang Jingbo, spokesperson of the agency, at a press conference.
The three astronauts are respectively a flight engineer, a spacecraft pilot and a payload specialist. Zhu previously participated in the Shenzhou-16 space mission. Zhang and Li come from the third and fourth batches of astronauts respectively, and will embark on their first spaceflight missions. Before being selected, Zhang was an air force pilot, while Li worked in the Hong Kong Police Force.
Zhu, China's first flight engineer to serve as a commander, described his crew as three different pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together.
"We think with one mind and pull in the same direction," Zhu said.
"From having a dream to realizing it is a long journey paved with faith and perseverance," Zhang said.
Zhang offered three pieces of advice: rooting dreams in solid ground, turning passion into resilience against difficulties, and closely linking personal dreams with the needs of the motherland.
Li, the first astronaut selected from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, expressed deep gratitude for this opportunity.
"As an ordinary person from Hong Kong, being able to join the astronaut team and be selected for this mission is an opportunity I never dared to dream of. My heart is full of gratitude and honor," she said.
"Every astronaut around me is outstanding," Li noted. "I feel truly fortunate to have learned, trained and become friends with them. Their companionship, encouragement and shared progress have meant so much to me."
RECORD SPACE RESIDENCY
An astronaut from the Shenzhou-23 crew is set to carry out a one-year-long in-orbit stay experiment, and the astronaut selected for the year-long stay will be determined based on how the mission unfolds in orbit, the CMSA said.
During the year-long residency, China will implement its first space-based human body research program to collect crucial data on astronaut exposed to long-duration spaceflight environments, Zhang Jingbo noted.
The mission will leverage the year-long flight of one astronaut to explore human adaptability and performance limits, aiming to establish a multi-system, multi-omics atlas of human body in space.
"Assigning an astronaut to a one-year in-orbit stay is not simply doubling the duration of two six-month missions," said the spokesperson, adding that the extended mission will test health support capabilities for astronauts on long-duration missions, while upgrading in-orbit medical and protection systems.
It will also provide opportunities for long-term continuous research on scientific projects and related technology verification, said Zhang.
The Shenzhou-21 crew, now up for rotation, has already spent 203 days in orbit and is poised to set a record for the longest single mission duration by a Chinese astronaut crew so far.
INTENSIVE TASKS
The Shenzhou-23 crew will also carry out experiments involving "artificial embryos," rare-earth alloys and novel batteries, said the CMSA.
The crew will conduct more than 100 new science and application projects, focusing on frontier fields such as space life science, materials science, microgravity fluid physics, aerospace medicine and new space technologies, said Zhang.
The mission will utilize zebrafish embryos, mouse embryos and stem cell-derived "artificial embryos" to explore the establishment of a space embryonic research system ranging from lower vertebrates to higher mammals, said Zhang.
In space material science, their research will focus on producing advanced materials, including high-performance rare-earth permanent magnets and lightweight high-entropy alloys, and studying how to regulate their performance, according to Zhang.
An in-orbit verification of a new type of space energy storage battery will also be conducted, and the results are expected to be applied to future upgrades of the space station's capabilities, said Zhang.
The crew will also conduct extravehicular activities (EVAs), handle cargo transfers, as well as install and retrieve external facilities. Aside from operational tasks, they will also engage in science education. ■
(Video reporters: Li Guoli, Ruan Shuai, Jiang Sai, Wang Hongliu, Xie Wentao, Peng Yuan, Da Rihan, Yu Jia, Cai Linlin; video editors: Zhang Yucheng, Zhu Cong)
