Crew of China’s Tiangong space station preparing to return to Earth
- The three astronauts could make their return journey as early as Saturday when the vessel passes over the Inner Mongolian landing site
- The trio spent six months on board the space station, where they carried out experiments, spacewalks and construction work
Their return date has yet to be officially confirmed, but the space station’s current orbit suggests it will cross the Dongfeng landing site in northern Inner Mongolia on Saturday morning, offering a window of opportunity to return.
They will return on board the Shenzhou 13 capsule, which state media said has been fitted with new technology and will follow a new flight path to help shorten the return journey.
It is estimated that it will take a little more than eight hours to reach the landing site, 20 hours less than the previous mission’s return journey last September.
The trio – Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu – will bring back data from the experiments they carried out in orbit.
Wang became the first Chinese woman to carry out a spacewalk, one of two conducted to install parts on the space station’s exterior.