The Chinese space program goes back to the 1950s, when China began development of its first ballistic missile and rocket programs in response to the perceived American (and, later, Soviet) threats.
Shenzhou 17 completed the 1st extravehicular maintenance in the history of China’s space program when, after 6 months, the mission finally reached Earth.
More info:South China Morning Post
China’s Shenzhou 17, the youngest crew ever to visit Tiangong, finally safely landed on Earth
Image credits:South China Morning Post
Image credits:China Xinhua News
The Shenzhou 17 flight was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 26 October 2023 at 09:46 UTC, near the end of the Shenzhou 16 mission. Since the implementation of Manned Space Program, Shenzhou 17 was the 30th spaceflight mission and the 12th manned mission.
The crew of Shenzhou 17 was the youngest everto flyto the Tiangong space station, with Commander Tang Hongbo being 48 and taikonauts Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin being 34 and 35 respectively at the time of the flight.
After dozens of scientific experiments, and two spacewalks to repair Tiangong’s solar arrays, the three Chinese astronauts safely returned to Earth on the 30th of April.
According to China Manned Space’s press release, Shenzhou 17 was set for the mission to:
Shenzhou 17 returned to Earth with a sixth batch of scientific samples that will serve around 23 different scientific projects
Image credits:China Manned Space Agency
“I missed my motherland and hometown in particular. Whenever the space station flew over our motherland and I happened to have time to spare, I would look out the window at our motherland from afar and search for my hometown,” Hingbo shared his first words right after landing. “I was filled with both longing and pride,” he added.
All the crew members were later transferred to Beijing, where they had a post-mission medical evaluation, recovery and debriefing.
China’s Shenzhou 17 mission marks a new chapter in human-space success following the spacecraft’s taikonauts returning in good health
Image credits:Shujianyang
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