The crew of the Chinese manned spacecraft Shenzhou-17, a trio of taikonauts, has safely returned to Earth after a six‑month stay in low Earth orbit. The return was confirmed by China Central Television. The descent capsule touched down in the Dongfeng region of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China. The Shenzhou-17 team carried out a range of scientific experiments focused on payload capacity and conducted extravehicular activities that centered on installation and repair work in space. They also gathered operational data to help boost the station’s overall efficiency.
The Shenzhou-17 mission reached the China Tiangong space station on October 26, marking a significant milestone for the crew. Commander Tang Hongbo led the mission, continuing his career in Earth orbit with a second long-duration flight. The team also included Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, with Jiang Xinlin making his first trip into space.
The China Tiangong orbital complex began construction on April 29, 2021, with the main configuration of the station being completed on November 3, 2022. This ongoing effort established a modular space platform designed for sustained human presence in orbit and ongoing scientific collaboration.
During its time in orbit, the Shenzhou-17 crew contributed to a broader program of long‑duration missions, advancing both life support and in‑orbit operations. The mission pushed forward the testing of cargo transfer capabilities, maintenance procedures, and repair workflows that support future expansions of the Tiangong facility. The crew’s activities included detailed data collection on system performance, environmental control measures, and the reliability of critical spacecraft subsystems. These results are expected to inform ongoing design refinements and future mission planning for China’s space program.