China's Shenzhou XXI astronauts in good health, science goals on track after 3 months in space

BEIJING -- The Shenzhou XXI crew members aboard China's Tiangong space station have successfully completed their first three months in space, with all planned tasks progressing smoothly, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

A video report by China Media Group on Sunday night showed specifically that to combat the physical effects of weightlessness, the crew, consisting of mission commander Zhang Lu and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, had performed a lower limb muscle force stimulation test.

Using specialized gear like bionic adhesive shoes, they exercised to stimulate their leg muscles and collected data to study muscle adaptation in space.

In the field of space medical research, they have made progress with a pharmacokinetics project, which studies how drugs are processed in the human body in space. This involves collecting saliva samples that will be sent back to Earth for analysis, thereby providing critical data for managing medication use in space.

The three astronauts have also conducted multiple tests on human psychology, including assessments of human-computer trust, in-orbit emotional states and emergency decision-making capabilities.

In the realm of microgravity physical science, the crew members have maintained and serviced experimental facilities. This process has included cleaning and replacing samples inside a containerless experiment cabinet, a device that levitates materials to study their properties without interference from a container, the report revealed.

Beyond scientific experiments, regular health monitoring remains a priority as a disciplined regimen of in-orbit exercise is key to ensuring that crew members remain in optimal condition for the remainder of their mission.

The astronauts have already undergone numerous medical checks, including dynamic electrocardiograms, blood pressure monitoring, ultrasound exams and bone density measurements, which showed that they are in good health, the report noted.

The Shenzhou XXI manned spacecraft was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China on Oct 31, 2025. On Dec 9, the Shenzhou XXI crew completed their mission's first series of extravehicular activities.