China's Shenzhou-17 spacecraft returned to Earth on Tuesday carrying three astronauts, completing a six-month mission on the country's space station. The three astronauts Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengji and Jiang Xinlin landed at the Dongfeng site in the Gobi Desert in northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region shortly before 6 p.m.
Four days before the trio returned to Earth, a three-member team had reached the space station under the Shenzhou-18 mission. After being kicked out of the International Space Station, China built its own space station.
This year, two cargo spacecraft missions and two manned spaceflight missions are scheduled for the Chinese station. China's ambitious space program aims to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. Also to bring back samples from Mars around 2030 and launch three lunar probe missions in the next four years.
The new team includes 43-year-old veteran commander Ye Guangfu, who participated in the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021. The team also includes fighter pilots 34-year-old Li Kang and 36-year-old Li Guangsu.
They will spend approximately six months on three modules of the space station, Tiangong. During this time they will conduct various scientific experiments and give science classes to students on Earth.
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