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Chinese astronauts back from six-month mission with record-setting space tasks

  • samuelsukhnandan
  • Apr 30
  • 1 min read

Updated: May 2

The return capsule of the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft landed smoothly Wednesday in the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) declaring the mission a success.


By 2:02 p.m., the Shenzhou-19 crew, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, had all left the return capsule. They had spent 183 days in orbit and are all in good health, the CMSA said. 


The mission set a world record for the longest single-time extravehicular activities (EVAs), and witnessed two historic milestones, namely, Commander Cai Xuzhe fulfilling the most EVA tasks to date in China and the nation's first female flight engineer aboard the Tiangong space station.

The return capsule of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship, carrying astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, touches down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 30, 2025. The three astronauts are all in good health condition, according to the China Manned Space Agency. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)


Cai has carried out five EVAs in two spaceflight missions, meaning he has completed more EVAs than any other Chinese astronaut.


"Gazing at the beautiful blue planet countless times in space, I am constantly reminded that this is our shared home, one that we must all work together to protect," said the 48-year-old mission commander, sitting in a chair in front of the capsule.




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