Shenzhou 6

Shenzhou 6 was China's second crewed spaceflight and its first mission with more than one person aboard. The spacecraft launched from Jiuquan on October 12, 2005 with Fei Junlong as commander and Nie Haisheng as operator, extending the Shenzhou program from the single-person Shenzhou 5 demonstration into a multi-day crewed flight. CMSA described the mission as a test of multi-person and multi-day orbital operations, spacecraft safety and reliability, crew living and working conditions, and human-spaceflight science experiments. During the flight, Fei and Nie monitored spacecraft systems, supported communications and control checks, operated onboard equipment, and helped validate procedures for a longer crewed stay in orbit. After 76 orbits, the reentry module landed safely at the primary landing site, while the orbital module remained in space for further experiments. The mission gave China important operational experience for later Tiangong laboratory flights and the country's eventual space-station program.