Chinese Astronauts Safely Return to Earth After Months Aboard Tiangong Space Station
JIUQUAN, China – A Shenzhou-21 spacecraft carrying three Chinese astronauts landed safely in the Gobi Desert on Saturday, concluding a nearly six-month mission aboard the tiangong space station.The return marks the completion of China’s longest crewed space mission to date, furthering the nation’s ambitions in space exploration.
The astronauts, who launched to the station in April, were reported to be ”in good condition,” according to the China Manned Space Agency. Their return is a critical step in China’s ongoing program to maintain a continuous human presence in orbit and prepare for more ambitious projects, including a planned crewed lunar landing by 2030. The mission also included biological experiments, such as studying the effects of weightlessness and confinement on mice.
China’s space program has demonstrated consistent advancement since its first crewed mission in 2003. The Tiangong space station, fully operational as 2022, represents a significant achievement, allowing China to conduct independent space research and progress without relying on international collaborations like the International Space Station.
The Shenzhou-21 mission brought four mice to the space station to study how they would be affected by weightlessness and confinement. This research contributes to understanding the long-term effects of space travel on living organisms, a crucial factor for future extended missions.