3 Chinese astronauts return home after 6 months in space

ANKARA

The returning capsule of China’s manned spaceship, carrying three astronauts, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, state media reported.

The Shenzhou-17 crew, comprising astronauts Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin, stayed in the orbiting Tiangong space station for nearly six months.

All three astronauts are in “good health condition," according to the China Manned Space Agency

They have returned after handover work to the Shenzhou-18 crew, comprising Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, who will remain in orbit for six months and are scheduled to return to the same landing site in late October this year.

The Shenzhou-18 spaceship lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop a Long March 2F rocket last week which was the 32nd flight mission of Beijing’s manned space program and the third manned mission during the application and development stage of China's space station.