CCTV News: At 22:27 on January 17 this year, the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft was successfully launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, and docked with the space station to form a combination via a 3-hour fast rendezvous and docking. What other visitors will China's space station have this year? What other progress will China's manned space engineering program make? Let's look at the introduction by Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China's manned space engineering program.

Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China's manned space engineering program: The launch missions are mainly Tianzhou-7, as well as Tianzhou-8 in the second half of the year, and the two manned launches of Shenzhou-18 and Shenzhou-19, along with the recovery of Shenzhou-17 and the recovery of Shenzhou-18. This year is mainly focused on six missions, as well as some development tasks. In 2024, it should be said that the mission schedule is quite full.

　　Astronauts for the Shenzhou-18 and Shenzhou-19 flight crews have been confirmed

Yang Liwei introduced that the six astronauts of the two flight crews for Shenzhou-18 and Shenzhou-19, which will carry out missions this year, have been confirmed. In addition to basic training, they are also undergoing highly targeted training focused on the key tasks of the space station this year.

　　Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China's manned space engineering program:Because the main work during the operational period is actually some scientific experiments on the platform, as well as maintenance and repair of the space station and some assembly tasks. Because the operation of the entire space station, including some components and some components that need to be replaced, for example, when they reach the end of their service life or need to be replaced, all require astronauts to do this on board. For some emergencies or, for example, the solar panels, this time (the Shenzhou-17 astronauts) carried out maintenance on them, which is also a feature and characteristic brought to the engineering by some temporary tasks.

China's manned lunar landing will be accelerated and steadily advanced this year

In 2023, China's manned lunar landing project was established. Yang Liwei introduced that this year, the manned lunar landing will also be accelerated and steadily advanced.

　　Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China's manned space engineering program:In the early stage before the project was established, in fact, we had already done a great deal of work on technical research and scheme demonstration. After the project was established, now the rocket system, as well as our spacecraft, including the lander, have all shifted to the preliminary prototype stage. For the next steps toward the final prototype and some experiments, work in this area is being done. It should be said that many key technologies have already been overcome.