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China’s Shenzhou 13 space trio ready for Earth touchdown after record six months in orbit
- Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu have completed most preparatory work for returning to Earth after six months in orbit
- Landing in the Gobi Desert to take less time than for previous missions thanks to a new procedure to be deployed for the first time
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The three Chinese astronauts in orbit have entered their final hours in outer space, having departed the Tiangong space station early on Saturday morning after a record six months away.
“The Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft successfully undocked from the [space station’s] Tianhe core module” at 00:44 Beijing time, said the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
The return capsule is expected to touch down in northern China later on Saturday morning.
News of the departure came after a source familiar with the space project said the Shenzhou 13 crew of Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu had completed most of the preparatory work for their return to Earth.
“Preparation for the return has proceeded smoothly, and we are ready to welcome the three astronauts home,” the source said.
A second source said the trio would land at the Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi Desert, near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China’s Inner Mongolia region, at around 10am, concluding a record six months in orbit.
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First spacewalk by a Chinese female astronaut during Shenzhou 13 crew space station mission
First spacewalk by a Chinese female astronaut during Shenzhou 13 crew space station mission
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