Three astronauts return from space

BEIJING — A Chinese space capsule with three astronauts landed safely Wednesday on the country’s northern grasslands after a 15- day trip to a prototype space station, marking the latest success for China’s manned space program as it enters its second decade.

The Shenzhou 10’s descent module landed by parachute in the vast territory of Inner Mongolia early Wednesday with the three crew members smiling and waving on live television after wriggling through the blackened capsule’s narrow hatch.

Wang Haiping, China’s second female astronaut to complete a mission, said the trip had been especially worthwhile for the opportunity to conduct China’s first science class in space, beamed live to 60 million schoolchildren across the country.