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BEIJING, Nov 14 (APP):The return capsule of China’s Shenzhou-21 spaceship, carrying the Shenzhou-20 crew, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 4:40 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
At 2:49 p.m., the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center issued the return command via ground tracking stations, following which the Shenzhou-21 spaceship undocked from the space station combination, CGTN reported.
After the braking engine fired up, the return capsule separated from the propulsion module and touched down successfully. Search-and-rescue teams quickly located the return capsule and reached the landing site. Medical staff confirmed that Shenzhou-20 crew members Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie were in good physical condition.
The three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, spent 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest stay by a single Chinese crew. During the mission, they completed four spacewalks and multiple cargo transfer operations. Working closely with researchers on the ground, they conducted a wide range of scientific experiments spanning microgravity physics, space materials science, life sciences, aerospace medicine, and space technology.