China's Shenzhou-18 astronauts, Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, have returned to Earth after completing their six-month mission at the China Space Station. The return capsule landed at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 1:24 a.m. All three crew members had left the capsule by 2:15 a.m. and were reported to be in good health. The China Manned Space Agency announced that the Shenzhou-18 manned mission was a complete success.
Ye Guangfu, commander of the crewed mission, was also a member of China's Shenzhou-13 mission. He has become the first taikonaut with a cumulative spaceflight duration of more than one year, setting a new record for the longest time spent in orbit by a taikonaut. Ye expressed his admiration for China's rapidly developing space program and predicted that a new record for time spent in orbit by Chinese astronauts would soon be set.
The Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission was the first for Li Cong, who praised the crew's unity and cooperation with the ground team. The crew successfully completed two extravehicular activities (EVAs) and conducted smooth in-orbit scientific experiments. Li Cong expressed his expectation to return to space in the future, stating that the exploration of space is limitless.
Li Guangsu, who also completed his first flight mission with Shenzhou-18, described the experience of weightlessness in space as magical and beautiful. He felt a sense of nostalgia leaving space behind but expressed pride in his country. The crew conducted multiple tasks during their 192-day mission, including installing space debris protection devices and undertaking equipment maintenance and repair.
The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft was launched on April 25 and docked with the space station combination. During their stay in orbit, the taikonauts carried out two EVAs, including one that set a new record for the longest single spacewalk by taikonauts, lasting approximately 8.5 hours. They also conducted several outbound cargo delivery missions.
The crew conducted extensive space science experiments, including basic microgravity physics, space material science, space life science, space medicine, and space technology. One of their achievements was creating an "aquarium" to raise zebrafish in a microgravity environment, marking China's first in-orbit aquatic ecological research. The experiment involved studying the effects of the space environment on fish growth.
The findings from the space science experiments will contribute to the development of crops that can thrive in outer space conditions. The crew also conducted plant cultivation experiments to analyze changes in plant stem cell function and gene expression in a microgravity environment. The successful completion of the Shenzhou-18 mission demonstrates China's advancements in space exploration.
Key points
- China's Shenzhou-18 astronauts complete 192-day mission at China Space Station
- Crew conducts extensive space science experiments, including research on zebrafish and plant growth
- Mission sets new records for longest single spacewalk and cumulative spaceflight duration by a taikonaut
