The Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) has announced its third group of taikonauts, selected to crew the nation's upcoming Tiangong space station, slated for full operations in 2022.
While the International Space Station (ISS) remains the sole operational orbital outpost today, China's Tiangong—or "Heavenly Palace"—is poised to follow. This advanced station will weigh approximately 100 tons, feature three modules, and orbit between 340 and 450 km for at least 15 years. Taikonauts aboard will conduct cutting-edge scientific experiments and train for extended deep-space missions.
The central module, measuring 17 meters in length, is scheduled for launch in early 2021 aboard a Long March 5B rocket from the Wenchang launch site. CNSA plans a total of 11 launches to assemble the station by 2022.
This latest selection includes 18 taikonauts: 17 men and one woman. Seven, formerly with the Chinese Air Force, are designated as pilots. Seven engineers from aeronautics, astronautics, and related fields will serve as spaceflight engineers. The remaining four are payload specialists.
All candidates underwent rigorous training, including simulated spacewalks in neutral buoyancy pools and operation of robotic systems. They will travel to the station via a crew capsule accommodating up to six individuals—or three taikonauts plus 500 kg of cargo. Notably, while Chinese-led, Tiangong will welcome international partners from UN member states.
China's strides in space have accelerated dramatically in recent years, drawing international scrutiny.
Recently, a U.S. Republican Congressional Task Force issued a strategic plan addressing the perceived global threat from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It highlights that a successful 2022 launch would mean China achieving in under 20 years what the U.S. accomplished over 40 years in space.
"The CCP is also discussing plans for a human lunar base," the report states. It warns, "The U.S. must address CCP technological innovations and potential space dominance in the coming years."
