Chinese astronauts return to Earth after 90-day mission

BEIJING • Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth yesterday after completing the country's longest-ever crewed mission, the latest landmark in Beijing's drive to become a major space power.

The capsule carrying the trio deployed its parachute and landed in the Gobi Desert in northern China at 1.34pm.

"It feels very good to be back," Mr Tang Hongbo told state broadcaster CCTV after the 90-day mission, a record for China. "I want to say dad, mum, I'm back! In good health and good spirits!" he said, after emerging from the capsule within 30 minutes of landing.

The crew of the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft were in good health, China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said in a statement.

"The first manned mission to the (Chinese) space station is a complete success," it said.

The taikonauts - as Chinese astronauts are known - will undergo a 14-day quarantine before going home "because their immune systems may have weakened after the long mission", Ms Huang Weifen, chief designer of China's space project, said.

The mission was part of China's heavily promoted space programme, which has already seen the nation land a rover on Mars and send probes to the Moon.

The launch of Beijing's first crewed mission in nearly five years coincided with the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1.

The crew stayed for 90 days at the Tiangong space station, conducting spacewalks and scientific experiments.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE