China to launch Shenzhou-20 spaceflight on April 24

China's Shenzhou-20 mission to Chinese space station with three astronauts set for launch on April 24, 2025.

China has set the launch for its Shenzhou-20 mission that will carry three astronauts to the Chinese space station for Thursday (April 24, 2025) at 5.17 p.m. local time (IST 2:47 p.m.), state media said on Wednesday (April 23, 2025).

The main purpose of the mission is to complete the in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-19 crew which is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site on April 29, officials said at a press conference broadcast on CCTV.

The Shenzhou-20 spaceflight will carry astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, CCTV said.

They will conduct space science and application experiments, install a space debris protection device as well as extravehicular payload and equipment, and perform recovery tasks.

The mission will also bring with it zebrafish, planarians and streptomyces as research objects to carry out three life science experiments at the space station.