3 astronauts return to Earth after over 5-month stay on China’s space station

ANKARA

Three Chinese astronauts have returned to Earth after spending more than five months on China’s space station.

Locally known as taikonauts, the astronauts who were part of China's Shenzhou-16 mission landed at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

"The return capsule of the Shenzhou XVI manned spaceship, carrying astronauts Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region," Chinese Space Station said on X.

It added that all three astronauts, who stayed at the space station for 154 days, are in good health.

The return of the Shenzhou-16 crew came after Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship, with three other astronauts on board, successfully docked with the space station last week.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid