Chinese Astronauts Returned to Earth After 6 Months in Space Station

Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after six months aboard their country's newest orbital station in the longest crewed mission to date for China's ambitious space program.

The Shenzhou 13 space capsule landed in the Gobi desert in the northern region of Inner Mongolia, shown live on state TV.

During the mission, astronaut Wang Yaping carried out the first spacewalk by a Chinese woman. Wang and crewmates Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu beamed back physics lessons for high school students.

China launched its first astronaut into space in 2003 and landed robot rovers on the moon in 2013 and on Mars last year. Officials have discussed a possible crewed mission to the moon.

On Saturday, state TV showed images from inside the capsule as it traveled at 200 meters per second over Africa before entering the atmosphere.

The trio were the second crew aboard Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace. Its core module, Tianhe, was launched in April 2021. Plans call for completing construction this year by adding two more modules.

Authorities have yet to announce a date for launching the next Tiangong crew.

China is excluded from the International Space Station due to U.S. unease that its space program is run by the ruling Communist Party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army.

China was the third nation to launch an astronaut into space on its own after the former Soviet Union and the United States. Tiangong is China’s third space station following predecessors launched in 2011 and 2016.

The government announced in 2020 that China's first reusable spacecraft had landed following a test flight but no photos or details of the vehicle have been released.

On Tuesday, President Xi Jinping visited the launch site in Wenchang on the southern island of Hainan from which the Tianhe module was fired into orbit.

“Persist in pursuing the frontiers of world aerospace development and the major strategic needs of national aerospace,” Xi told staff at the site, all of them in military uniform.

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[ben]

I literally never heard of the mission until it lauched and then no coverage of it for 6 months complete radio silence and then a single clip on youtube when it touched down, so much for the 'free press".

[texajp]

Cheers to China, keep rising, salute from comrade in usa

[ArunKumar-izdo]

Congratulations to china n safe return of their astronauts...china is already the next super power n has the pulse of our planet
US is the history...

[IKEMENOsakaman]

Wow 6 months is a long time without proper internet!

[solomon]

The policy of China's containment bearing fruit, only six month.

[tdp]

What makes me mad about the news reported in the US is that I never knew that China has a space station. What else has China accomplished that the US citizens don't know about?? How about China investing in Latin America?? We need to know these things.

[thehonorablejiveturkeyspoo]

So many all over the world living comfortably retirements

[LazyGentz]

Hol up, put some respect into those people’s names. They’re called Taikonauts not astronauts. Astronaunts are only from america. Im happy they returned safely, specially the first woman taikonaut. fuckin boo to everyone saying chinese astronauts

[keithmoore]

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

[Voodooeddoll]

...shouldn't this be a big news? Why's no one talking about this?

[federalauditsabatordetecte]

No worries for I would not exist if the world powers did not come together at the point of my freedom from Alaska bolgosloff island ♾️

[theeraphatsunthornwit]

If not tired then it is most likely they dont go anywhere just like those 3 dudes.

[proudwumao]

China has the different political system than some western one but it's works!
China gives hope and inspiration

[jeycalc]

inner mongolia should be part of mongolia

[lespoole]

An to think Joe Biden thinks he was an astronaut .