Zhongrui Chen
Chinese - (CNSA)
Active
Date of Birth: Oct. 1, 1984
Age: 41
Chen Zhongrui is a Chinese pilot and astronaut selected as part of the Shenzhou program. He enlisted in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force in September 2003, and joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in June 2005. He was a PLAAF flight instructor prior to joining the astronaut corps.
Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou 20
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | ChinaJiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
April 24, 2025, 9:17 a.m.
Status: Success
Mission:
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.
Low Earth OrbitThe China National Space Administration (CNSA) is the national space agency of the People's Republic of China. It is responsible for the national space program and for planning and development of space activities. CNSA and China Aerospace Corporation (CASC) assumed the authority over space development efforts previously held by the Ministry of Aerospace Industry. The CNSA has many launch sites around China with their orbital sites located in Jiuquan, Xichang, Taiyuan and Wenchang.
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 6-100
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Falcon 9
NROL-105
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USATwelfth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office …
Ceres-2
Demo Flight
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaFirst test launch of Galactic Energy’s Ceres-2 rocket.
Long March 3B/E
Shijian 32
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaChinese experimental spacecraft of unknown purposes.
Ceres-1S
Tianqi 37-40
Rizhao offshore launch location - Haiyang Oriental Spaceport4 small satellites for LEO Internet of Things (IoT) communication purposes.
