Chinese astronauts return to Earth after longest mission

China’s Shenzhou-11 spacecraft returned to earth today , bringing home two astronauts from the rising power’s longest-ever orbital mission in a milestone for its vaulting ambitions.

After it landed, ground personnel rushed to plant two flapping red flags beside the capsule while observers applauded in China’s mission control.

CCTV did not show the men emerging, but said they had been taken to a space center by helicopter, and the official Xinhua news agency said they were in good health.

Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng  and Chen Dong, pictured at their send-off ceremony, spent 33-days orbiting the earth carrying out experiments on the Tiangong-2 space lab

Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, pictured at their send-off ceremony, spent 33-days orbiting the earth carrying out experiments on the Tiangong-2 space lab

The manned space programme’s commander in chief Zhang Youxia announced that the mission was a “complete success”.

Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong spent the 33-day mission orbiting the earth carrying out experiments including cultivating silkworms, growing lettuce, and testing brain activity.

The Tiangong-2 space lab, launched in September, is also running experiments on growing rice and thale cress.

Beijing is pouring billions into its space programme in a bid to catch up with the US and Europe.

It announced in April that it aims to send a spacecraft “around 2020” to orbit Mars, then land and deploy a rover to explore the Red Planet’s surface.

via

 

Advert