Chongqing—Two young artists from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute (SFAI) in Chongqing designed the mission insignia for China's upcoming crewed flight, Shenzhou-21. The spacecraft-rocket combination has already been transferred to the launch zone, signaling that the mission is now entering its final countdown.

Designers of the Shenzhou-21 mission emblem, Dong Tian (left) and Gu Xin (right). (Photo/Sichuan Fine Arts Institute)

The insignia was created by SFAI design major postgraduate student Dong Tian and professor Gu Xin. Dong, class of 2024 in the Institute’s Design Academy, and Gu crafted the emblem that will fly with the Shenzhou-21 mission together.

The two plan to visit the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to witness the launch in person.

The insignia centers on an astronaut helmet — a symbol of human endeavor, mission commitment, and cosmic exploration. Two concentric rings reminiscent of ancient astronomical instruments surround it, evoking China’s interest in the stars and the universe.

The helmet’s spherical top is engraved with “2025”, denoting the year of the mission. In the visor area, the upper half shows the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft docking with China’s space station; the lower half reflects the Earth, representing homeland attachment. The outer ring uses red and yellow—China’s national flag colors—to express honor, mission, and responsibility. The inner ring is deep blue, symbolizing the vastness of space.

The color palette and graphic structure are intended to fuse modern technology with cultural heritage, conveying courage, resolve, and an enduring spirit of exploration.

The official emblem of the Shenzhou-21 crewed mission. (Photo/Sichuan Fine Arts Institute)

Dong described the design process as more than a visual exercise—it was a blending of national sentiment, professional expertise, and artistic insight. Early iterations emphasized depth and structural detail in the helmet motif. After multiple revisions, the team converged on a symmetrical helmet design and a clear vertical visual axis: year “2025” at the top, followed by the docking imagery, Earth motif, and mission number. The dual rings were aligned to intersect over the image of the homeland. Color saturation and contrast were fine-tuned to enhance visual recognition across media.

Gu commented that this marks yet another honor for SFAI: after designing the insignia for Shenzhou-17, the institute now again contributes to a national manned space-flight mission. He said the experience reinforces his commitment to nurturing more national-service-oriented designers.

Observers also note the emblem helps illustrate how China’s human-spaceflight program combines technical ambition with cultural storytelling.

According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Thursday, the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 11:44 p.m. on October 31 (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. During their stay on the space station, the Shenzhou-21 crew will carry out in-orbit scientific experiments involving mice.