After six months on the International Space Station, Chinese astronauts return to Earth

The return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 human space mission is seen after landing at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Saturday, April 16, 2022, in this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency. Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after spending six months aboard China's newest space station, the country's most ambitious space program's longest crewed mission to date. Image Credit: AP

Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after spending six months on their country's newest orbiting station, the longest crewed mission in China's ambitious space program to date.

The Shenzhou 13 spaceship landed in the Gobi desert in Inner Mongolia's northern area, which was broadcast live on state television.

During the mission, astronaut Wang Yaping performed the first Chinese woman's spacewalk. Wang and his coworkers Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu broadcasted physics lessons to high school students.

In 2003, China flew its first person into space, and in 2013 and last year, it landed robot rovers on the moon and on Mars. Officials have explored the possibility of sending a crew to the moon.

State television broadcast photos from inside the capsule as it flew across Africa at 200 meters per second before hitting the atmosphere on Saturday.

Chinese astronaut Ye Guangfu sits outside the return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 manned space mission after landing at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Saturday, April 16, 2022, in this photo given by China's Xinhua News Agency. Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after spending six months aboard China's newest space station, the country's most ambitious space program's longest crewed mission to date. Image Credit: Ap

The three were the second crew onboard Tiangong, also known as the Heavenly Palace. Tianhe, the fundamental module, was released in April 2021. Construction is expected to be completed this year with the addition of two more modules.

The launch date for the next Tiangong crew has yet to be announced.

Because the United States is worried that China's space program is controlled by the ruling Communist Party's military wing, the People's Liberation Army, the country is barred from participating in the International Space Station.

After the former Soviet Union and the United States, China became the third country to send an astronaut into space on its own. Following predecessors launched in 2011 and 2016, Tiangong is China's third space station.

The Chinese government declared in 2020 that the country's first reusable spacecraft had successfully landed after a test flight, but no photos or details about the aircraft have been released.

President Xi Jinping paid a visit to the launch site in Wenchang, Hainan's southernmost island, where the Tianhe module was sent into orbit, on Tuesday.

"Keep pursuing the frontiers of world aerospace development and the important strategic needs of national aerospace," Xi urged the site's military personnel.

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