Shenzhou 19

Shenzhou 19

Liftoff of Shenzhou 19.
Mission type	Tiangong space station crew transport
Operator	China Manned Space Agency
Mission duration	180 days (Planned) 50 days, 18 hours and 54 minutes (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Shenzhou
Manufacturer	China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Crew
Crew size	3
Members	Cai Xuzhe Song Lingdong Wang Haoze
EVAs	1
EVA duration	9 hours 6 minutes
Start of mission
Launch date	29 October 2024, 20:27 UTC
Rocket	Long March 2F
Launch site	Jiuquan, LA-4/SLS
Contractor	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
End of mission
Landing date	2025 (planned)
Landing site	Inner Mongolia, China
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Inclination	41.5°
Docking with Tiangong space station
Docking port	Tianhe Forward
Docking date	30 October 2024, 03:00 UTC
Undocking date	2025 (planned)
Time docked	180 days (planned) 50 days, 12 hours and 21 minutes (in progress)
(L-R) Wang Haoze, Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong China Manned Space Program

Shenzhou 19 (Chinese: 神舟十九号; pinyin: Shénzhōu Shíjiǔ-hào; lit. 'Divine Boat Number 19') is a Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, that was launched on 29 October 2024. It carried three taikonauts on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. The mission is the 14th crewed Chinese spaceflight and the 19th flight overall of the Shenzhou program.

Background

Shenzhou 19 launched on 29 October 2024, prior to the end of the previous mission, Shenzhou 18. It is the 8th flight to the Tiangong space station, and is expected to last approximately 6 months. It will depart following the arrival of the Shenzhou 20 crew in 2025.

Mission

The mission launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on board a Long March 2F rocket. The Shenzhou spacecraft docked with the forward docking port on the Tianhe core module of the station, where the crew entered and taken over operations from the departing crew of Shenzhou 18, who returned to Earth on 4th November. The crew will carry out experiments to aid China's goal of landing a manned mission on the moon by 2030.

Crew

Position	Crew member
Commander	Cai Xuzhe, CMSA Second spaceflight
Operator	Song Lingdong, CMSA First spaceflight
Flight Engineer	Wang Haoze, CMSA First spaceflight

Cai, 48, is a veteran astronaut and a crew member for the 2022 Shenzhou-14 mission. Song and Wang, both 34 years old and youngest Chinese astronauts, are embarking their first spaceflight, with Wang the third female astronaut, and first female flight engineer, to space.

Spacewalk

New record for the longest space walk

On 17 December 2024, during the crew's first spacewalk since arriving at the space station, Cai Xuzhe set a new record with Song Lingdong for the longest spacewalk, of 9 hours and 6 minutes, completing tasks such as the installation of space debris protection devices, inspection, and maintenance of external equipment and facilities. Song also becomes the youngest Chinese astronaut, born after the 90's, to have embarked on an EVA.