Beijing, April 30, 2025 – Three Chinese astronauts, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, safely returned to Earth on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, after a six-month mission aboard China’s Tiangong space station. The Shenzhou-19 crew, who launched on October 29, 2024, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia, marking the successful conclusion of a mission that included record-breaking spacewalks and significant scientific experiments. Their return, originally scheduled for April 29, was delayed by one day due to windy conditions at the landing site.
The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft undocked from Tiangong on April 29 at 4:00 p.m. EDT (4:00 a.m. April 30 China Standard Time) and landed at approximately 1:08 a.m. EDT (1:08 p.m. China Standard Time) on April 30. The return capsule descended under a red-and-white parachute, touching down in the remote Gobi Desert region. Recovery crews quickly surrounded the capsule, assisting the astronauts as they exited. All three crew members—commander Cai Xuzhe, 48, former air force pilot Song Lingdong, 34, and spaceflight engineer Wang Haoze, 34—were reported to be in good health following an initial medical assessment.
A Mission of Firsts and Records
The Shenzhou-19 mission was notable for several milestones. The crew, China’s youngest to date, included Wang Haoze, the nation’s only female spaceflight engineer and the third Chinese woman on a crewed mission. Cai Xuzhe, a veteran of the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022, led the team, while Song and Wang were spaceflight rookies.
One of the mission’s highlights was a record-breaking nine-hour spacewalk conducted by Cai and Song on December 16-17, 2024, the longest single extravehicular activity (EVA) ever recorded, surpassing a previous NASA record by 10 minutes. During this EVA, the duo installed a new space debris shield on Tiangong, with assistance from Wang Haoze, who operated the station’s robotic arm from inside. Additional spacewalks on January 20 and March 21, 2025, involved further shielding installations and inspections of extravehicular systems.
The crew conducted 86 scientific experiments, focusing on space life sciences, microgravity physics, and space material science. A notable experiment involved placing a brick made from lunar soil simulant on Tiangong’s exterior to test its durability in space, providing data for China’s planned lunar base in the 2030s.
Handover and Tiangong’s Continued Operations
On April 24, 2025, the Shenzhou-20 crew, led by commander Chen Dong, arrived at Tiangong. The two crews conducted a handover ceremony on April 27, during which Cai Xuzhe symbolically passed the “key” to the station to Chen, marking the transition of control. The Shenzhou-19 crew then prepared for their return, departing Tiangong two days later.
Tiangong, a T-shaped, three-module station about 20% the mass of the International Space Station, has been permanently occupied since its completion in November 2022. China plans to expand the station with additional modules and open it to international and commercial activities, including a potential Pakistani astronaut mission.
Visuals of the Return
Video footage from China Central Television (CCTV) captured the Shenzhou-19 capsule’s descent through Earth’s atmosphere, glowing as it reentered before deploying its parachute. Photos released by CCTV and Xinhua News Agency show the capsule on the ground, surrounded by recovery teams, and the astronauts waving to onlookers. A Chinese flag planted near the capsule symbolized national pride.
China’s Growing Space Ambitions
The successful return of the Shenzhou-19 crew underscores China’s rapid advancements in space exploration. Excluded from the International Space Station due to U.S. concerns over the People’s Liberation Army’s involvement in China’s space program, China independently built Tiangong, establishing itself as a major space power. The nation aims to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 and construct a lunar base by 2035.
Posts on X reflected national pride, with users like @CGTNOfficial sharing images of the astronauts exiting the capsule and @Kanthan2030 noting China’s “escape velocity” in science and technology. The mission’s success was celebrated as a step toward China’s goal of global leadership in space.
The Shenzhou-19 astronauts will now undergo medical quarantine and comprehensive health checks in Beijing before addressing the press. Meanwhile, the Shenzhou-20 crew continues Tiangong’s operations, carrying forward China’s ambitious space agenda.
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