China’s latest spacecraft, which can transport up to seven astronauts, may fly for the first time between 2027 and 2028, a veteran Chinese astronaut said. The spacecraft can carry crews to the country’s planned three-module space station or for deep space exploration, said Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China’s operated spaceflight project.

The new spacecraft, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), is based on Russia’s Soyuz. It includes an in-orbit module for temporary human residence and a re-entry capsule to return to Earth. It also has a propulsion module, and a cargo spacecraft called Tianhe-1, which will dock with the orbiting Tiangong space station and deliver fuel and supplies to the crew.

According to a state-run newspaper Guangzhou Daily Report, recent tests on the spacecraft’s return capsule have been “very successful,” clearing the way for its first flights, which are expected to occur between 2027 and 2028. The spacecraft, which is still unnamed, is designed to replace the Shenzhou series and enable deep space exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

China has ambitious plans to become a significant space-faring power by 2030, which include sending astronauts on lunar missions and eventually landing them on the moon. It has already sent rovers to Mars and this year became the first country to land a probe on the moon’s far side. In addition, it is currently building a three-module space station, which will be ready for astronauts to live in by 2020.

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The success of China’s space program will demonstrate its growing technological savvy and help it assert itself as an international power on par with the United States and other established nations. Top officials also seek to inspire national pride and invigorate China’s faltering economy.

In 2003, former fighter pilot Yang was sent into orbit in a small bronze-colored capsule, the Shenzhou-5, becoming China’s first man in space and an instant hero cheered by millions at home. It was a crucial step for the nation, which has long viewed the US and the Soviet Union as its main rivals in space. The Communist Party kept Yang’s identity a secret before the mission, and the state-run media cranked up the propaganda to boost public enthusiasm for the event. It paid off: a video of his departure from the Jiuquan launch center went viral, with the name of his mission – Shenzhou-5 – emblazoned across newspapers and billboards. He symbolized the nation’s determination to succeed at all costs. The mission also boosted the popularity of the Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping. It was the final phase in a decades-long effort by Chinese leaders to reshape the nation’s image. The Communist Party’s macho image had become out of sync with the nation’s changing times and social mores.