Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou 23

Long March 2F/G Launches Shenzhou 23: A Milestone in China's Crewed Space Program

On June 30, 2026, China's space agency marked another achievement with the launch of Shenzhou 23 aboard a Long March 2F/G rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This mission, the 23rd in the Shenzhou series, underscores Beijing's accelerating pace in human spaceflight, building on a program that has evolved from basic orbital tests to sustained operations at the Tiangong space station.

The primary objectives of Shenzhou 23 focus on crew rotation and scientific experimentation aboard Tiangong. The spacecraft carries a three-person crew, including astronauts with expertise in biology, materials science, and space medicine. Their tasks include conducting experiments on microgravity's effects on human physiology, testing new life-support systems, and performing extravehicular activities to maintain the station's solar arrays. Payload capabilities are robust: the Shenzhou capsule can transport up to 3,000 kilograms of supplies, including scientific instruments and provisions for long-duration stays. This mission also deploys small satellites for Earth observation, enhancing China's capabilities in remote sensing and environmental monitoring. Such versatility allows Shenzhou to support both manned and unmanned variants, adapting to evolving mission needs.

At the heart of the launch is the Long March 2F/G rocket, a human-rated variant of the reliable Long March family. Standing approximately 58 meters tall with a diameter of 3.35 meters, it features a two-stage core powered by hypergolic propellants—dinitrogen tetroxide and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine—for rapid ignition and high thrust. Four liquid-fueled strap-on boosters augment the first stage, delivering a total liftoff thrust of about 600 metric tons. The rocket's payload capacity to low Earth orbit (LEO) reaches 8,400 kilograms, optimized for the Shenzhou spacecraft's 8-ton mass. Technical upgrades in the 2F/G model include enhanced guidance systems and fault-tolerant avionics, ensuring crew safety through redundant escape mechanisms like the launch abort system, which can propel the capsule away in emergencies.

The Long March 2F series boasts an impressive performance history, with over 20 successful Shenzhou launches since its debut in 1999. Early flights, such as Shenzhou 1, validated the rocket's design through uncrewed tests, while crewed missions from Shenzhou 5 onward demonstrated reliability