China’s Tiangong Space Station has completed a successful mission as three Chinese astronauts, Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming, and Zhang Lu, safely returned to Earth after spending six months in space. The return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 spacecraft landed in Inner Mongolia in northern China.
State news agency Xinhua reported that the astronauts emerged from the capsule in good physical condition. Medical officials in protective gear attended to them before they were carried away from the landing site. During their time at the Tiangong space station, the astronauts conducted spacewalks and various scientific experiments.
China’s space program, funded with substantial investments, aims to narrow the gap with the United States and Russia. In its pursuit, China recently launched the Shenzhou-16 mission, which included three more astronauts, including the first civilian in orbit. With ambitions to establish a crewed lunar mission by 2030 and construct a lunar base, China continues to make significant strides in its military-run space program.
