China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 2F/GLaunch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Shenzhou 20
Launched
April 24, 2025 · 09:17 UTC
Image: Xinhua
Summary
Shenzhou 20 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 24, 2025 at 09:17 UTC. The launch window ran from 09:07 to 09:47 UTC. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 518th launch, 17th this year and humanity's 6,933rd orbital launch attempt. It was the 18th Long March 2F/G flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Shenzhou 20, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 388 × 392 km orbit inclined 41.5°. 3 crew members flew: Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie. The spacecraft was Shenzhou 20 (20). 3 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
- 18th Long March 2F/G flight · 1st this yearChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 518th launch17th this yearhumanity's 6,933rd orbital launch attempt84th orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Chen DongCommander · CNSA · age 46 · 3rd flight
Chen ZhongruiOperator · CNSA · age 40 · first flight
Wang JieOperator · CNSA · age 35 · first flight
Spacecraft
Shenzhou 20 (20)
Spacecraft used to launch 3 astronauts on the 9th crewed mission to the Chinese Space Station.
- Destination: Tiangong space station
- Mission length: 269 days
- Docked April 24, 2025 at Tianhe nadir
The Shenzhou 20 spacecraft has landed at the Donfgeng landing site in Inner Mongolia, China.
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Shenzhou 20 · NORAD 63632 · 2025-082 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- SZ-20
- Object ID
- 2025-082A
- Epoch
- 2025-04-24 16:32:21 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.61690985 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0002473
- Inclination
- 41.4642°
- Ascending node
- 346.0908°
- Arg. of perigee
- 223.3902°
- Mean anomaly
- 136.6743°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 22779
- B*
- 0.00048479
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
3 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 1 still in orbit
- Shenzhou 20 · NORAD 63632 · docked April 24, 2025
CZ-2F Y20 Stage 2 · re-entered May 3, 2025
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Ninth crewed flight to the Chinese space station. Due to damage sustained by the spacecraft's descent module porthole window by orbital debris collision found in early November 2025, the spacecraft was deemed unsuitable for crew return. Shenzhou 22 was launched without crew as replacement, and Shenzhou 20 will return to Earth without crew after EVA inspection by the onboard crew.
Pad
Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
25th launch from Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), 1st this year · 248th from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Local pad time at liftoff: Apr 24, 5:17 PM GMT+8, in daylight
29 launches from this pad · 299 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
176 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Updates
Questions
When did Shenzhou 20 launch?
Shenzhou 20 launched on April 24, 2025 at 09:17 UTC. The launch window ran from 09:07 to 09:47 UTC.
Where can I watch Shenzhou 20?
Coverage: Live: Special coverage of China's Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft launch; 【完整版】神舟二十号载人飞船发射全程！陈冬进舱前向大家比了个OK；涡虫首上太空，中国空间站迎新生命体；飞行乘组将执行哪些任务？神舟二十号载人飞船发射特别报道. Watch the replay
What rocket launched Shenzhou 20?
Long March 2F/G, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Long March 2F/G spec sheet
Where did Shenzhou 20 launch from?
Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China. Liftoff was Apr 24, 5:17 PM GMT+8 local time at the pad.
What orbit did Shenzhou 20 reach?
Shenzhou 20, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 388 × 392 km orbit inclined 41.5°.
Which program is Shenzhou 20 part of?
Shenzhou and Tiangong space station. About Shenzhou