In 2026, China's manned Changzheng Engineering Technology mission was announced: deepen the implementation of space station applications and manned lunar landing plans, and carry out two manned flight missions.

On February 27, Changzheng Engineering Technology of China's manned space program stated that in 2026, they will continue to implement the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" deployment, deepen the advancement of space station applications and development, as well as manned lunar exploration. They aim to make greater contributions to the construction of a strong aerospace nation. Currently, the Chinese space station is running smoothly in orbit and has shown good performance; the manned lunar exploration project is progressing smoothly in the lunar landing phase, achieving multiple breakthroughs. Since entering the stage of space station application and development, the project has completed 6 manned flights, 4 cargo supply missions, 7 spacecraft return missions, and successfully carried out emergency launches. Six astronauts have stayed in orbit for long periods, conducting 13 extravehicular activities and multiple applications. They have also completed several extravehicular maintenance tasks, breaking world records with the astronauts' duration outside the spacecraft. Furthermore, they have conducted the fourth round of selection for astronaut candidates, including experts from Hong Kong and Macao, and started the development of a low-cost cargo transportation system. Currently, the Chinese space station has deployed and implemented 267 scientific and application projects in areas such as space life sciences, human research, microgravity physics, and new space technologies, achieving international leading applications and technological results. In 2026, they plan to implement 2 manned flight missions and 1 cargo spacecraft supply mission. Astronauts from the Hong Kong and Macao regions are expected to perform space station flight missions this year, with one astronaut from the Shenzhou-23 mission conducting a one-year residency experiment. Aiming to achieve the goal of Chinese astronauts landing on the moon before 2030, the manned lunar exploration project is steadily progressing in the lunar landing phase. By now, the development of major flight products such as the Changzheng-10 carrier rocket, the Dreamboat manned spacecraft, and the Lander for Moon Landing are progressing smoothly, with various large-scale tests completed. In 2026, they will focus on the construction of supporting facilities for lunar missions at the Wenchang Aerospace Launch Site, as well as ground support systems such as measurement control, communication, and landing sites. Since the project's inception, they have adhered to the principles of "peaceful use, mutually beneficial cooperation, and common development", actively promoting international cooperation in the field of manned spaceflight. Last year, China and Pakistan signed a cooperation agreement for the selection and training of astronauts. Currently, the selection process is progressing smoothly, and one Pakistani astronaut will participate in short-term flight missions as a payload expert, conducting scientific experiments on the Chinese space station. Additionally, Changzheng Engineering Technology will continue to implement cooperation projects with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. China welcomes global colleagues to participate and share the achievements of China's manned space program, promoting the development of aerospace technology worldwide and making new and greater contributions to the peaceful use of space and benefitting all of humanity. This article is excerpted from the official website of China's manned space program, GMTEight, edited by Feng Qiuyi.