BEIJING: Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Friday after spending nearly seven months in space and completing the handover with another crew earlier this week. The craft carrying Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang of the Shenzhou 21 crew touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia region in the evening. Their return came as China prepares for its first lunar landing by 2030.

China’s orbiting outpost sees smooth crew transition ahead of return to Earth

Three Chinese astronauts have returned to Earth after spending seven months in space. They completed a handover with another crew earlier this week.