Three Chinese astronauts have successfully returned to Earth after completing a six-month mission on the Tiangong space station, marking another milestone in China's space exploration endeavors. The astronauts' capsule made a nighttime descent, aided by a parachute, and landed in a remote area in Inner Mongolia, China. The crew emerged from the capsule at 1:24 a.m., with a Chinese national flag planted near the landing site.
China has been actively expanding its space program in recent years, with achievements such as bringing back moon rocks and landing a rover on Mars. The country aims to land a person on the moon by 2030, a feat that would establish China as the second nation, after the United States, to achieve this milestone.
Prior to the return of the three astronauts, a new three-person crew had been sent to the Tiangong space station to continue the ongoing six-month mission. The new team, comprising one woman and two men, will be responsible for conducting experiments, performing spacewalks, and installing equipment to safeguard the station from space debris.
Reports indicate that Tiangong has had to maneuver multiple times to avoid debris in space and faced power issues when the solar wing's cables were damaged by debris. China has also been involved in creating space debris, including incidents like the breakup of a rocket stage during the launch of satellites for a global internet service similar to SpaceX's Starlink.
The Tiangong space station, which translates to 'Heavenly Palace,' was completed two years ago and continues to orbit the Earth. While only Chinese astronauts have visited the station thus far, China is reportedly in talks to include astronauts from other nations in future missions.
Despite China's advancements in space exploration, the country faces restrictions in participating in the International Space Station program, primarily due to concerns raised by the United States regarding the military aspects of China's space initiatives. China has outlined an ambitious plan to lead in space science research by 2050, aligning with its broader goals in space exploration.
