Robot model
Shenzhou
Crewed spacecraft performing autonomous fast-rendezvous docking with the Tiangong space station.
- Manufacturer
- China Manned Space Agency
- Form factor
- space
- Maturity
- production
- Lifecycle
- active
- Deployments
- 2
The verified answer
As of Oct 2026, DEPLOY verifies Shenzhou, a space by China Manned Space Agency (production): 2 verified deployments on record. 2 sources back the record.
Overview
Crewed spacecraft performing autonomous fast-rendezvous docking with the Tiangong space station. It is a robotic system designed for physical AI applications. Key specifications include Autonomy level: autonomous fast rendezvous + docking, Form factor: space, Maker: China Manned Space Agency.
Verified vs. claimed
- Maturity stage
- production(Full-scale production deployment with repeat customers.)
- Sources on file
- View all sources →
Key facts
Specs
Role
Autonomy
Data & sources
Web sources
2
2 sources backing this record.View all →
Autonomy: verified vs claimed
- What it actually does
- Autonomous
Pricing
No verified price is on record for Shenzhou. Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.
Deployments (2)
- Shenzhou at Low Earth Orbitoperational
Shenzhou crewed spacecraft conducting regular rotational missions to the Tiangong space station since Shenzhou-12 in June 2021.
- Shenzhou at Low Earth Orbitoperational
Shenzhou-21 completed autonomous fast-rendezvous docking with the Tiangong space station in Low Earth Orbit approximately 3.5 hours after launch in November 2025, marking China's fastest crewed docking to date.
Shenzhou on the deployment map
View the global mapWhere Shenzhou is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.
Recent activity
Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.
- Verified media addedVerifiedJun 6, 2026
Shenzhou crewed spacecraft docking
- Record createdJun 5, 2026
Added to the verified registry
- Incident recordedOct 30, 2025
Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft suspected struck by orbital debris, delaying astronaut...
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedJun 17, 2021
at Low Earth Orbit
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedJun 17, 2021
at Low Earth Orbit
Deployment-verified media (1)
Chinese state media (Xinhua) footage of a Shenzhou crewed spacecraft docking with the Tiangong space station. Shenzhou is a crewed spacecraft with autonomous fast-rendezvous docking capability, attributed to the CNSA program.
From deployment: Low Earth Orbit
Safety record
Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Incidents affecting Shenzhou (1)
Includes incidents linked directly to this model or to deployments of it. Retracted incidents are excluded from this view but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Sources (2)
Mentioned on (1)
Registry pages whose text names Shenzhou.
Companies (1)
Common questions
What is Shenzhou?
How much does Shenzhou cost?
Is Shenzhou actually deployed in the real world?
Who makes Shenzhou?
Where is Shenzhou deployed?
Can you buy Shenzhou?
What are alternatives to Shenzhou?
How does Shenzhou compare to Chang'e Lander?
Is Shenzhou a top space?
What is Shenzhou's maturity stage?
Is Shenzhou safe?
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-22
Verification posture
Verified
Low confidence
Review state
Stable
Last reviewed 2026-07-22
Maturity + lifecycle
Maturity stage: production
Lifecycle: active
Architectural position
Cohort: space
Sources by quality tier
- 1
- unclassified
- Unclassified source
- 1
- knowledge-base
- Knowledge base
The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.
Methodology surface for Shenzhou.Recent coverage
Shenzhou in third-party press
Attention vs reality over time
Media mentions per month (area) against verified deployment events (dots). A press spike over a flat deployment line is the hype gap, drawn over time.
In the press
Recent coverage mentioning Shenzhou from third-party publications. Automatically surfaced; not part of the verified registry record.
China launches Shenzhou-23 astronauts into space amid new race to Moon
China launches new spaceship, eyes longer space stay amid race with U.S.
China sends astronaut on year-long space mission as it eyes 2030 moon landing
China to send astronaut on record year-long space mission amid Moon landing plans
China's crewed lunar programme eyes astronaut landing by 2030
Shenzhou-21 astronauts complete second series of extravehicular activities
Shenzhou-21 taikonauts carry out second extravehicular mission to install space debris shielding
Shenzhou XXI astronauts conduct first spacewalk, install debris shields
Shenzhou XXI astronauts conduct their 1st spacewalk
Chinese astronauts return from space station after delay blamed on space debris damage
Chinese astronauts back from six-month mission with record-setting space tasks
China tests robot on board Tiangong space station
Machine-readable surfaces
- Markdown mirror: /models/shenzhou.md
- JSON-LD: embedded in this page’s head
- REST API: /v1/models/823d91a3-75f5-43ed-843e-413000c8dd7d
- Revision history: /models/shenzhou/history
- Data documentation: /data
- Query this programmatically: Deploy MCP
Reality vs attention
Shenzhou draws attention at the 55th percentile but verifies reality at the 43rd percentile among space robots. Hype Gap +11.7, 17th widest among space robots.
6-month trend
Analysis
Thin deployment record; scale validation still in progress.
Dimension breakdown
Verified signal
Attention (reach, not merit)
DEPLOY Intelligence scores are computed from verified registry data: confirmed deployments, disclosed funding rounds, regulatory filings, active job listings, video viewership, and press coverage. Confidence ratings reflect data availability. Scores update nightly.
DEPLOY Indices — verified vs claimed
Last computed: Oct 20, 2026