Beijing, November 4: After a six-month mission on China’s low orbit space station, three Chinese astronauts safely returned to Earth early Monday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The Shenzhou-18 spaceship capsule carrying astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu landed at the Dongfeng site in Inner Mongolia at 1:24 am Beijing time.
The astronauts were reported to be in excellent health following their 192-day stay in space, marking another successful mission for China’s rapidly advancing space program. Mission Commander Ye Guangfu set a new national record for cumulative time in space, having now spent over a year in orbit. Ye previously served in the Shenzhou-13 mission from October 2021 to April 2022.
During their mission, the Shenzhou-18 crew conducted a series of experiments using the space station’s scientific equipment, focusing on microgravity physics, space materials, life sciences, and medical research. They even cultivated plants such as cherry tomatoes and lettuce, with astronaut Li Guangsu describing the experience of eating freshly grown vegetables in space as “a blessing.”
The Shenzhou-18 team has now been relieved by another crew that docked with the space station on October 30. China plans regular crew rotations every six months to continue scientific work on the station, which was constructed after China was reportedly excluded from the International Space Station (ISS) due to security concerns about its military-managed space program.
China’s plans for future space exploration include a manned lunar mission, a lunar space station, and investigations into habitable planets and extraterrestrial life, as part of its expanding space program.
