Beijing (Agencies): The return capsule of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft, carrying taikonauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, successfully touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 13:08 pm on Wednesday, marking the complete success of the mission.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed that the three taikonauts are in good health after spending 183 days in orbit. Their mission, launched on October 30, 2024, was packed with scientific experiments, spacewalks, and crucial maintenance tasks for China’s space station.
During the mission, Chinese taikonauts set a world record for the longest single spacewalk at nine hours and broke the national record for the most spacewalks performed by a Chinese astronaut. They completed three extravehicular activities, six payload operations, and several crucial maintenance tasks, including installing space debris protection devices and transferring cargo.
In collaboration with ground-based researchers, the crew conducted cutting-edge experiments in fields such as microgravity physics, space materials science, aerospace medicine, and technology, contributing valuable insights for the long-term sustainability of China’s space station.
According to Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, the successful completion of extended spacewalks reflects China’s growing confidence in its spacesuit technology and the remarkable professionalism of its taikonaut corps. “These achievements showcase formidable teamwork and technical precision,” Wang noted.
With the Shenzhou program evolving into a highly stable operation, ongoing experiments from Shenzhou-19 will seamlessly transfer to Shenzhou-20, ensuring continuous research efforts in space.
As China cements its role as a global space power, the success of Shenzhou-19 adds another milestone to the country’s expanding space exploration ambitions.