China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 2F/GLaunch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Shenzhou 18
Launched
April 25, 2024 · 12:59 UTC
Image: CMSEO
Summary
Shenzhou 18 launched on a China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 2F/G from Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on April 25, 2024 at 12:59 UTC. The launch window ran from 12:49 to 13:29 UTC. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 465th launch, 13th this year and humanity's 6,668th orbital launch attempt. It was the 16th Long March 2F/G flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Shenzhou 18, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 384 × 390 km orbit inclined 41.5°. 3 crew members flew: Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu. The spacecraft was Shenzhou 18 (18). 6 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Long March 2F/G · China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationShenzhou, Tiangong space station
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Human Exploration · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for CNSA
- Milestone
- 16th Long March 2F/G flight · 1st this yearChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 465th launch13th this yearhumanity's 6,668th orbital launch attempt79th orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Ye GuangfuCommander · CNSA · age 43 · 2nd flight
Li CongEngineer · CNSA · age 34 · first flight
Li GuangsuEngineer · CNSA · age 36 · first flight
Spacecraft
Shenzhou 18 (18)
Seventh crewed mission to the Chinese Space Station.
- Destination: Tiangong Space Station
- Mission length: 192 days
- Docked April 25, 2024 at Tianhe nadir
The Shenzhou 18 spacecraft has landed at the Donfgeng landing site in Inner Mongolia, China.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Shenzhou 18 · NORAD 59591 · 2024-078 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 6 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2024-078A
- Epoch
- 2024-04-25 20:32:56 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.62601929 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0004487
- Inclination
- 41.4699°
- Ascending node
- 42.7465°
- Arg. of perigee
- 271.4079°
- Mean anomaly
- 164.2731°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 17090
- B*
- 0.00048881
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
6 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 4 components
- Shenzhou 18 · NORAD 59591 · docked April 25, 2024
CZ-2F Y18 Stage 2 · re-entered May 6, 2024
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Seventh crewed flight to the Chinese space station.
Pad
Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
23rd launch from Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), 1st this year · 224th from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Local pad time at liftoff: Apr 25, 8:59 PM GMT+8, in twilight
29 launches from this pad · 299 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
132 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Updates
Launch success.
Show 5 earlier updates
Questions
When did Shenzhou 18 launch?
Shenzhou 18 launched on April 25, 2024 at 12:59 UTC. The launch window ran from 12:49 to 13:29 UTC.
Where can I watch Shenzhou 18?
Coverage: Replay! China's Shenzhou 18 crew launches to Tiangong space station; CASC - Long March 2F/G - Shenzhou 18 - Crewed Launch Tiangong - SLS-1 - Jiuquan - April 24, 2024. Watch the replay
What rocket launched Shenzhou 18?
Long March 2F/G, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Long March 2F/G spec sheet
Where did Shenzhou 18 launch from?
Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China. Liftoff was Apr 25, 8:59 PM GMT+8 local time at the pad.
What orbit did Shenzhou 18 reach?
Shenzhou 18, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 384 × 390 km orbit inclined 41.5°.
Which program is Shenzhou 18 part of?
Shenzhou and Tiangong space station. About Shenzhou