By 
October 31st, 2023
Shenzhou-16 crew landing.
Image credit: CGTN/Inside Outer Space screengrab
China’s Shenzhou-16 crew returned safely back to Earth on Tuesday after completing their five-month stay aboard the country’s Tiangong space station.
The Shenzhou-16 return capsule, carrying astronauts Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 08:11 (Beijing Time) on Tuesday morning, with the crew all being helped out of the return capsule by 09:10, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Shenzhou-16 crew.
Image credit: CGTN/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Later on Tuesday, the three astronauts arrived in Beijing by plane after their safe return to Earth. They will now enter a period of quarantine and will undergo comprehensive medical examinations and health evaluations, according to the CMSA.
Space experiments
The Shenzhou-16 crew was launched on May 30 and was the first crewed mission since construction of China’s space station entered its application and development stage following its construction.
The Shenzhou-16 crew, who remained in orbit for 154 days, carried out a total of 70 space experiments, performed a space walk, delivered a live lecture from the space station, and on several occasions assisted with the movement of cargo.
CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
According to Jiang Yue, a senior official from the Chinese Academy of Sciences associated with the space experiments, the experimental samples are mainly body cells, living nematodes and seedlings, and two kinds of alloys, which will provide theoretical guidance and scientific methods for the development and application of cutting-edge fields.
Life science
“This time, the space application system brought back life science experimental samples and materials science experimental samples through the Shenzhou-16 mission,” Jiang told China Central Television (CCTV).
“The life science experimental samples mainly include human liver cells, bone cells and endothelial cells. The animal part includes samples of biological macromolecules and living nematodes. The plant part includes samples of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. There are 22 kinds of samples, with a total weight of about 25 kilograms. We will collect 18.1 kilograms of samples at the landing site, and retrieve the rest after the capsule is transported back to Beijing,” said Jiang.
CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Special transfer device
The sample recovery team also developed a low-temperature insulation equipment, ensuring the samples’ maximum activity during the transportation of around 2,000 kilometers, according to Jiang.
“All biological samples must be transported to the laboratory in Beijing as quickly as possible for processing and solidification. For this process, we have also developed a special transfer device, which can maintain a temperature of minus 20 Celcius degrees for more than 24 hours, ensuring the activity of the samples to the greatest extent,” said Jiang.
Image credit: CGTN/Inside Outer Space screengrab
National space laboratory
Jiang noted that China’s space station cause has entered the application and development stage. At present, the space station has the ability to carry out large-scale scientific experiments.
“Therefore, I believe that in the near future, with the continuous development of new technologies, we will continue to carry out more, better and more valuable scientific experimental projects through manned space missions and cargo spacecraft deliveries. We will make good use of the space station as the national space laboratory to produce more and better scientific experimental results,” Jiang said told CCTV.
New Shenzhou-16 crew onboard with Shenzhou-15 astronauts during handover ceremonies.
Image credit: CCTV/CNSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab
The Shenzhou-17 crew is now resident on the space station, assigned a number of tasks to enhance the functionality of the orbital outpost.
The newly-arrived Shenzhou-17 crew members — mission commander Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo, Lieutenant Colonel Tang Shengjie and Lieutenant Colonel Jiang Xinlin – are taking over management of China’s Tiangong space station.
A number of videos are available of the Shenzhou-16 return and recovery operations at:
https://youtu.be/AE3fw6thUhs?si=1Y5LBl4H3G-xKdvN
https://youtu.be/AKhMoIgmywg?si=lDbEh4SwgT4s9sRw
https://youtu.be/Fn9RhKFEqcc?si=1hOVWLB_CByxCaVc
https://youtu.be/LtgqphD_UNE?si=2jje6vETu1Y7Hb8t
Posted in Space News
