Shenzhou 16

Shenzhou 16 was a Chinese crewed mission to the Tiangong Space Station and the first crewed flight of the station program's application and development stage. The spacecraft launched from Jiuquan on May 30, 2023 with commander Jing Haipeng, spaceflight engineer Zhu Yangzhu, and payload specialist Gui Haichao. The mission was notable for flying all three Chinese astronaut role categories together: spacecraft pilot, spaceflight engineer, and payload specialist. During nearly five months in orbit, the crew carried out science and technology experiments, managed station cargo and operations, delivered a space lecture, and completed an EVA by Jing and Zhu while Gui supported from inside Tiangong. The return capsule landed at the Dongfeng landing area in Inner Mongolia on October 31, 2023, and CMSA declared the mission a success.