Forget Han Solo's Wookiee—this time it's mice launching into space! On Friday, November 15, 2025, the Shenzhou-20 crew landed back on Earth, bringing back an unexpected crew of mice astronauts that had called China's Tiangong space station home since October 31. 🚀🐭
Originally set for one week in orbit, these tiny cosmo-critters ended up spending almost two weeks aboard the station—nearly double the planned time! Once the return capsule landed, scientific teams jumped into action, observing behavior and running key physiological and biochemical tests right on site. 🔬🧪
Why does this matter? These experiments aren't just cute—they're critical steps toward more ambitious mammalian research in space. Understanding how complex organisms adapt to microgravity lays the groundwork for future long-duration missions and safeguards the health of astronauts. 🌌🩺
Along with the mice, the return capsule carried life-science materials and combustion experiment samples, opening the door for insights into everything from cellular changes to fire safety in orbit. It's all part of building a solid foundation for the next generation of space exploration. 🔥🌠
Next up: more experiments, bigger crews, and maybe even mouse moonwalkers? Stay tuned as we track the future of orbital research, where curiosity never stays grounded. 🐭✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
