China's Shenzhou-19 astronauts return home after forced landing site switch
The crew's commander Cai Xuzhe and astronauts Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze – the country's third female astronaut and the only female space flight engineer – were originally supposed to make their return one day earlier.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Wednesday that the return of the Shenzhou-19 crew – including the youngest Chinese astronaut so far – was delayed by strong winds at the original landing site.
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The agency added that the landing would be moved to the eastern section of the Dongfeng landing site where the meteorological conditions met requirements. It marked the first time a crew would land in this area, it said.
'Faced with new situations and new challenges, the entire project team worked closely together, linked up with the ground and the sky, and quickly formulated response measures to ensure the success of the mission,' the CMSA said in a social media post.
The Shenzhou-19 crew began their six-month mission at the space station on October 29, completing tasks like compiling and sending remaining experimental data before returning to Earth, according to the CMSA.
Ahead of their departure, the astronauts handed over the reins to the Shenzhou-20 crew, who arrived at the space station on April 24.
At a press conference the day before the Shenzhou-20 launch, CMSA deputy director Lin Xiqiang said that the Shenzhou-19 crew took part in 88 research projects – in the fields of microgravity, life sciences, aerospace medicine, and materials science – while on board.
This included the world's first in-orbit demonstration of artificial photosynthesis technology, which produced oxygen and ingredients necessary to make rocket fuel.
Cai, the crew's commander, performed five activities outside the Tiangong, making him the Chinese astronaut with the most extravehicular activities. Cai and Song also set a new world record for the longest spacewalk, at nine hours and six minutes, Lin said.
The new crew is expected to continue the work of the Shenzhou-19 astronauts, including running science experiments and performing extravehicular activities. They will also begin new experiments, including studying space tissue regeneration.
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