China will launch its next-generation crewed spacecraft, Mengzhou-1, in 2026, marking a major step forward in the nation’s human spaceflight program, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Developed as a comprehensive upgrade to the Shenzhou series, Mengzhou-1 introduces a modular design consisting of a return capsule and a service capsule. The spacecraft is designed to transport astronauts between Earth and China’s space station, with the maiden mission scheduled to lift off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province aboard a Long March-10A carrier rocket.

The test was conducted alongside a maximum dynamic pressure escape flight test of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft system.