China’s Shenzhou-17 taikonauts have successfully concluded their six-month mission aboard the China Space Station and are returning to Earth on Tuesday. This mission featured the country’s youngest crew by average age since the construction of the station began, with Commander Tang Hongbo, 48, Operator Tang Shengjie, 34, and Operator Jiang Xinlin, 35, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The Shenzhou-17 mission is the second crewed spacecraft launched by China last year after Shenzhou-16, marking the 30th flight mission of China’s manned space program and the 12th crewed mission overall. The trio carried out two extravehicular activities, completing China’s first-ever extravehicular repair mission.
Over the course of their mission, the taikonauts conducted 84 in-orbit experiments and tests for space applications, producing over 200 samples across multiple fields such as space life science and biotechnology, space medicine, and space material science. These samples will be delivered for scientific studies, potentially leading to significant advancements.
As the youngest crew to date, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin have set a new benchmark for China’s space endeavors. Their successful mission not only demonstrates the growing expertise of China’s space program but also paves the way for future exploration.
With the safe return of the Shenzhou-17 crew, China continues to solidify its position as a key player in space exploration, contributing valuable knowledge and technology to the global community.
Reference(s):
Shenzhou-17 highlights: A new chapter of China Space Station adventure
cgtn.com
