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China Sends Youngest Astronaut Yet to Its ‘Heavenly Palace’ Space Station

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China has launched its Shenzhou-21 mission, sending a three-member crew — including the nation’s youngest astronaut to date — to the Tiangong (“Heavenly Palace”) space station, state media reported Friday.

The crew blasted off atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China, marking the seventh crewed mission to the permanently inhabited station since its completion in 2022.

The new team will spend six months aboard Tiangong, taking over duties from the Shenzhou-20 astronauts, who are expected to return to Earth in the coming days.

The mission’s commander, Zhang Lu, 48, previously flew on Shenzhou-15, while first-time astronauts Zhang Hongzhang, 39, and Wu Fei, 32 — China’s youngest astronaut ever to fly — complete the trio.

Joining them are four black mice, the first small mammals taken to the Chinese space station. They will be used in biological experiments to study reproduction in low Earth orbit, part of China’s broader push into space-based life sciences.

Biannual launches have now become standard for the Shenzhou program, which in recent years has achieved major milestones — including the first crewed missions by astronauts born in the 1990s, record-breaking spacewalks, and plans to send Pakistan’s first astronaut to Tiangong in 2026.

China’s rapid expansion in space exploration has drawn increasing attention from Washington, where NASA is racing to return American astronauts to the Moon before Beijing does. Both powers are also establishing rival frameworks for lunar exploration — the U.S.-led Artemis Accords and the China–Russia International Lunar Research Station initiative.

Finland Joins the Artemis Accords as 53rd Member for Lunar Exploration

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Finland has officially become the 53rd country to sign the Artemis Accords, marking a significant step in the nation’s involvement in global space exploration efforts. The agreement was finalized on January 21, 2025, during the Winter Satellite Workshop held in Espoo, Finland. This milestone underscores Finland’s commitment to advancing its role in collaborative space exploration, particularly in the area of lunar missions. By joining the Artemis Accords, Finland affirms its dedication to promoting responsible and peaceful exploration of the Moon and beyond, further strengthening its space sector.

The Artemis Accords, which were first introduced in October 2020, aim to establish a framework of principles for space exploration that prioritizes transparency, safety, and international cooperation. The guidelines are rooted in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which emphasizes the peaceful use of space. For Finland, becoming a part of this agreement provides a platform to expand its space activities and enhance its longstanding contributions to space technologies. According to Wille Rydman, Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, this collaboration offers an opportunity to bolster the nation’s space capabilities while also ensuring the responsible use of space resources.

The inclusion of Finland in the Artemis Accords also highlights the increasing role of smaller nations in global space exploration. Minister Rydman emphasized the potential benefits for Finnish companies and research institutions, which are poised to gain new opportunities through this partnership. By aligning with the United States and its allies, Finland hopes to strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving space sector, fostering both innovation and international collaboration. Finnish participation is seen as a step toward enhancing its competitive edge in the growing space economy.

Representatives from both Finland and NASA expressed their enthusiasm for the new partnership. NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free praised Finland’s commitment to the Accords, noting that the nation’s involvement supports the broader goals of sharing scientific data openly and preserving the space environment. This collaboration also reinforces the United States’ efforts to engage international partners in the upcoming lunar missions, with the Artemis program aiming to return astronauts to the Moon and pave the way for future missions to Mars. The signing ceremony in Espoo marked a momentous occasion for both Finland and the global space community.