Shenzhou XXI crew conducts advanced medical tests, brain science experiments in space

BEIJING -- The Shenzhou XXI crew members aboard China's Tiangong space station have made significant strides in terms of space medical experiments and physical science research over the past week, while also maintaining the station's habitable environment, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

In the field of space medicine, the crew consisting of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang focused on understanding the psychological and physiological effects of long-duration spaceflight. They used laptops to complete tests on "trust and coordination mechanisms" and "human-machine trust," which are crucial for designing future spacecraft interfaces and ensuring efficient teamwork between astronauts and automated systems, China Media Group reported on Sunday night.

A key advancement involved the use of the space Raman spectrometer, a device that identifies molecular compositions by shining a laser on a sample. The astronauts used this tool to analyze metabolic components in urine samples. The data collected will be used to refine medical standards for monitoring astronaut health in orbit.

To explore how the brain perceives the physical world without gravity, they also conducted "microgravity intuitive physics behavior" experiments.

Leveraging electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment, which records electrical activity along the scalp, the crew gathered data for "meta-cognitive monitoring" and "group brain cognitive-emotion analysis" studies, helping scientists on Earth understand how the absence of gravity alters brain function and group dynamics, the report noted.

In the microgravity physical science domain, the team maintained experiment racks, replacing sampling covers in the combustion science rack and swapping samples in the fluid physics rack.

To safeguard their own health, the astronauts underwent medical checks including intraocular pressure tests, fundus exams and cardiopulmonary assessments.

Notably, they also utilized a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) four-diagnosis device, an instrument that mimics the traditional TCM methods of inspection, listening, inquiry and pulse-taking, seeking to provide a comprehensive health assessment in microgravity, the video report revealed.

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