Beijing: The return capsule of China’s crewed Shenzhou 18 spacecraft successfully touched down in northern China Sunday, marking a significant milestone in the completion of the astronauts’ mission aboard the country’s Tiangong space station. Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, who had been living and working in orbit since their launch on April 25, returned to the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Shenzhou 18 crew had separated from the Tiangong space station earlier on Sunday after completing a handover of duties to the incoming Shenzhou 19 crew, which launched on Wednesday. Prior to their departure, the astronauts successfully completed several tasks such as processing experimental data and transferring supplies.
Commander Ye Guangfu achieved a career milestone by becoming the first Chinese astronaut to spend a total of over 365 days in space, having previously been part of the Shenzhou 13 crew. During their mission, the team conducted variou
s scientific experiments, including studies on ancient microbes, and accomplished a record-setting spacewalk.
The astronauts also participated in emergency drills and documented footage of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and Wenchang spaceport, contributing to the mission’s comprehensive agenda.