Three Chinese Astronauts Return After Seven-Month Mission

Three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-21 mission returned to Earth on 29 May 2026 after 210 days in orbit. The crew consisted of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang, and their landing took place at the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of northern China.

Shenzhou Programme and Tiangong Space Station

The Shenzhou programme is China’s crewed spacecraft programme for human spaceflight. Tiangong is China’s modular space station, which supports long-duration crewed missions, scientific experiments, and extravehicular activities.

Mission Timeline and Crew Rotation

The Shenzhou-21 crew launched on 31 October 2025 to replace the Shenzhou-20 crew at Tiangong. The Shenzhou-21 astronauts were later relieved by the Shenzhou-23 mission, which launched on 24 May 2026. The return used the Shenzhou-22 vehicle because the original Shenzhou-21 spacecraft was used by the Shenzhou-20 crew to return to Earth on 14 November 2025 after capsule damage linked to space debris. The Shenzhou-21 crew remained on Tiangong until the arrival of Shenzhou-22.

Spacewalks and Scientific Work

The Shenzhou-21 astronauts completed three spacewalks during the mission. They also carried out experiments in microgravity fundamental physics and space life science.

Important Facts for Exams

• Shenzhou-21 recorded the longest on-orbit stay by a Chinese crew at 210 days.
• Dongfeng landing site is located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of northern China.
• Zhang Lu holds the record for the most spacewalks by a Chinese astronaut, with seven operations in total.
• Tiangong is China’s national space station and is designed for long-duration human missions.