Shenzhou 20

Shenzhou 20 was China's fifth crewed mission of the Tiangong space station application and development phase. The spacecraft launched from Jiuquan on April 24, 2025 Beijing time with commander Chen Dong, operator Chen Zhongrui, and spaceflight engineer Wang Jie, then docked with the radial port of the Tianhe core module later the same day. The crew completed the handover with Shenzhou 19 and began a long-duration station rotation focused on science, technology demonstrations, cargo handling, station maintenance, and exterior work to improve debris protection. Mission tasks included experiments with biological systems and other space-science payloads, retrieval and deployment of external equipment, and multiple EVAs from the Tiangong station. The planned November 2025 return on Shenzhou 20 was changed after the spacecraft's return capsule showed damage from a suspected space-debris impact. Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie returned safely aboard Shenzhou 21 on November 14, 2025, while the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft later remained available for cargo return.