Chinese astronauts return to earth after six months in space
BEIJING (AP) — China’s Shenzhou-17 spacecraft returned to Earth Tuesday, carrying three astronauts who have completed a six-month mission aboard the country’s orbiting space station.
The three, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, landed at the Dongfeng site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the Gobi desert shortly before 6:00 p.m. (1000 GMT). It comes roughly four days after the Shenzhou-18 mission docked with the station with their three-member replacement crew onboard.
China built its own space station after being excluded from the International Space Station, largely because of U.S. concerns over the Chinese military’s total control of the space program amid a sharpening competition in technology between the two geopolitical rivals. This year, the Chinese station is slated for two cargo spacecraft missions and two manned spaceflight missions.
Related articles
Adams, Reyna, Turner, Ream are US concerns ahead of Copa America
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Adams, Gio Reyna, Matt Turner and Tim Ream will be given the three weeks ahead2024-05-22Auckland lodge fire: Caravan user forced to stick to one set of clothes
Ison da Silveira must wait for approval to enter his home of five years, despite the caravan being s2024-05-22'Not just Māori but all of us'
Leilani Perese of the Hurricanes Poua leads a haka at Sky Stadium on 9 March 2024 in Wellington. Pho2024-05-22Tarata Road gravel fix plan raises ire of small Taranaki community
Big rigs are a common sight on Tarata Road in Taranaki. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin2024-05-22China's first intelligent offshore drilling platform installed
SHENZHEN, May 17 (Xinhua) -- China's first intelligent offshore drilling platform was installed on F2024-05-22Christchurch Adventure Park to reopen on Friday, 22 March
Fire spreads towards Christchurch Adventure Park on 15 February. Photo: RNZ / Charlotte Cook2024-05-22
atest comment