Shenzhou 14

The spaceflight was the second Chinese mission set to last six months (180 days).[4] After that, the six-month stay aboard the space station will become the normal duration of the astronaut crew in orbit.[5] The flight marked the third of four crewed missions scheduled to dock with the Tiangong space station by the end of construction in 2022.[6]

Launch of Shenzhou 14

The mission visited the Tianhe core module following the launch and docking of Tianzhou 4, the third resupply mission to the station. The crew assisted with the assembly of the Wentian and Mengtian laboratories, which arrived at Tiangong in July and October respectively.[7] The Shenzhou 15 crew is scheduled to arrive 10 days before Shenzhou 14 departs, which means that the Shenzhou 14 mission marks the beginning of keeping the station permanently inhabited.[8]

The crew saluted while entering the Tianhe core module later on 5 June 2022, at 12:50 UTC as the third expedition to the Tiangong space station. On 24 July, Wentian was launched and successfully docked with Tianhe expanding the space station. On 25 July 2022 at 02:03 UTC, the crew of Shenzhou 14 opened the hatch and entered the Wentian module for the first time. On 31 October, Mengtian was launched and successfully docked with Tianhe forming the 'T-shape' structure of the space station. On 3 November 2022 at 07:12 UTC, the crew opened the hatch and entered the Mengtian module for the first time.

Three spacewalks took place during the crew's six-month stay in orbit. Shenzhou 15 was on standby for any possible rescue mission.[9]

Diagram of a Shenzhou spacecraft

Shenzhou 14 spacecraft is based on Soyuz MS design concept. Shenzhou was approved in 1992 as part of the Chinese space program Project 921, and has a design similar to the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.[15]

In the front of the spacecraft, there is the orbital module which contains an androgynous docking ring based on APAS technology, which is used to dock to the Tianhe core module. In the middle is the reentry module containing the crew which is a scaled-up version of the Soyuz descent module. The rear of the spacecraft is the service module which is equipped with engines, fuel tanks, and solar panels.[16]

The crew was publicly announced in a press conference on 4 June 2022. Each crew member saluted when introduced, as is required by all taikonauts.[17]

Senior Colonel Chen Dong is a veteran of Shenzhou 11. Senior Colonel Liu Yang previously flew on Shenzhou 9, becoming the first Chinese woman in space. Senior Colonel Cai Xuzhe makes his first flight to space. By the time Shenzhou 14 completes the 180-day mission, Chen will have spent about 213 days in space, setting a new record for a Chinese astronaut.

Position[18]	Crew member
Commander	Chen Dong, PLAAC Second spaceflight
Operator	Liu Yang, PLAAC Second spaceflight
System and Science Operator	Cai Xuzhe, PLAAC First spaceflight

On 12 October 2022 at 4:01 p.m. Beijing time (8:01 a.m. UTC), the three crew members held a lesson and conducted the scientific experiments from space station. The "main classroom" was in Beijing, and "branch classrooms" were in Zhengzhou, Henan province, Heze, Shandong province and Dali, Yunnan province. Chen Dong and Liu Yang introduced the functions of the Wentian module and conducted the scientific experiments and taught a science lesson to Chinese students by live television broadcast while Cai Xuzhe filmed the entire lecture. After a brief presentation of the taikonauts it was followed by the opportunity to answer schoolchildren's questions from the classrooms.[19]

• Shenzhou 11
• Shenzhou 12
• Shenzhou 13