By 
May 29th, 2026
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Following a space station handover ceremony, China’s Shenzhou-21 astronaut crew returned to Earth on Friday (Beijing Time, parachuting into the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The Shenzhou-21 crew spent seven months in space, setting a new record for the longest in-orbit stay by a Chinese astronaut crew.
Shenzhou-21 astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang are safely back to Earth, riding within the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Return vessel
The Shenzhou-21 crew’s original spaceship, which sent them into space on Oct 31, 2025, was previously returned to Earth carrying the astronauts of the preceding Shenzhou-20 mission after tiny cracks were found in the viewport window of the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft’s return capsule. That spacecraft was later safely brought back to Earth.
Back on Nov 25, 2025, China launched the Shenzhou-22 spaceship to provide a return vessel for the Shenzhou-21 crew.
Over 100 vehicles, including command vehicles, search vehicles, medical monitoring and rescue vehicles, and emergency response vehicles, had gathered at the Dongfeng landing site for the return of the Shenzhou-21 crew.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Image credit: CMSA/CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Longer station stays
China is set to test its capabilities in supporting its astronauts for longer stays in space by piloting a one-year in-orbit stay by a member of the Shenzhou-23 crew
The Shenzhou-21 crew spent seven months in space, setting a new record for the longest in-orbit stay by a Chinese astronaut crew.
Meanwhile, one member of the currently orbiting Shenzhou-23 crew will attempt to extend a stay in space of one year.
Go to departure and landing videos at:
Posted in Space News
