3 Chinese astronauts set to return home after new crews assume space charge

By Alperen Aktas

ANKARA (AA) – After spending six months in space, three Chinese astronauts are set to return on Sunday, the country’s space authorities said.

The crew of Shenzhou-15 completed their missions at the Chinese space center, “delivered the mission, and will land on the Dongfeng landing site in north China,” said a China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) official on Friday.

The landing site is situated in the northwest Gobi Desert in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.

It spans an area of 13,000 square meters (139,930 square feet) characterized by intricate terrain.

To ensure smooth operation, the CMSA said, over 10 search and rescue teams, accompanied by five helicopters and nearly 100 vehicles with various functions, have been dispatched to their designated positions for the final practice drills, state-run CGTN news reported.

The Shenzhou-15 crew arrived in space last year, joining the three-member crew of the Shenzhou-14 manned spacecraft – increasing the workforce at the in-orbit space station to six for the first time in Chinese space mission history.

A new three-member crew of the Shenzhou-16 succeeded the returning astronauts on Tuesday, known as Taikonauts in China.

The new team is expected to remain in the space station for approximately five months, said the CMSA.