Nation: Shenzhou-11 astronauts arrive home safely
Reentry follows China’s longest-ever manned space mission
The two astronauts who completed China’s longest-ever manned space mission returned to Earth safely Friday afternoon, according to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).
Zhang Youxia, commander-in-chief of China’s manned space program, announced that the Shenzhou-11 mission, which lasted over a month, was a “complete success.”
The reentry module of Shenzhou-11 landed safely at the expected site in central Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about 1:59 pm Friday.
The ground search team reached the landing site immediately, and astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong opened the capsule’s hatch by themselves.
The two astronauts were reported by the ground team to be in good condition. They and the reentry module will later be transferred to Beijing.
Shenzhou-11 was China’s sixth manned spacecraft, and the country’s longest mission to date.
Launched on October 17, the spacecraft docked two days later with China’s first space lab, Tiangong-2, where the two astronauts lived for 30 days.
The mission transported personnel and materials between Earth and Tiangong-2, and tested meeting, docking and return processes.
It conducted aerospace medical experiments, space science experiments and in-orbit maintenance.
The two astronauts also conducted three experiments designed by middle school students from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, including raising silkworms in space.
A person in charge at China’s manned space program told the Global Times on Friday that the Shenzhou-11 mission is the second process of the three-step development strategy of China’s manned space program, and the mission will lay a solid foundation for the construction of a permanent manned space station for China.
The core module of China’s space station is expected to be launched around 2018, and the space station will enter into full service around 2022, with an initial designed life of at least 10 years.
“The success of the space lab mission has significant meaning to the following development of the project, especially to the construction and management of the space station,” Wang Zhaoyao, director of China’s manned space program office, told a press conference of the State Council on Friday.
Tiangong-2 will remain operative in orbit following Shenzhou-11’s return to Earth and will wait to dock with Tianzhou-1, China’s first cargo spacecraft. Tianzhou-1 will be launched in April 2017 to verify refueling technology, a key technology for any space station, Wang said.