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Three Chinese astronauts successfully touched down on Earth after returning home from space.
Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu were on a six month mission aboard China’s Tiangong space station, according to Space.com.
During the mission, they conducted tasks such as studying ancient microbiomes, breaking China’s record for the longest spacewalk and installing protective shielding to guard against space debris.
Ye Guangfu also became the first Chinese astronaut to spend over 365 days in space, having participated in a previous mission.
Their mission ended on Sunday when they landed their return capsule at the Dongfeng landing site in north China. For a brief period, six astronauts were aboard the space station when the replacement crew arrived to relieve the returning team.
Tiangong is the third and largest of three space stations China has launched in an effort to develop their space program, per Brittanica. The name means “Heavenly Palace.”
Video footage of the astronauts’ return shows them safely reentering Earth’s atmosphere. During the descent, one astronaut reported that the spacecraft was functioning normally.
The parachute, which slowed their descent, deployed without issues, and a plume of smoke billowed from the pod as it touched down. The astronauts remained inside until officials arrived to assist them out of the capsule.
All three astronauts were reportedly in good health. However, due to having lived in space for an extended period of time, the astronauts will have to readjust to Earth’s gravity.
Chinese astronauts are not permitted to participate in the International Space Station program due to U.S. concerns about the connection between China’s space program and its military, per The Associated Press.
China’s space program aims to establish the country as a leader in space exploration and scientific research. By 2030, China plans to land on the moon, becoming the only nation besides the United States to do so.
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