BEIJING (AP) — China’s Shenzhou-17 spacecraft returned to Earth Tuesday, carrying three astronauts who have completed a six-month mission aboard the country’s orbiting space station. The three, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, landed at the Dongfeng site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the Gobi desert shortly before 6:00 p.m. (1000 GMT). It comes roughly four days after the Shenzhou-18 mission docked with the station with their three-member replacement crew onboard. China built its own space station after being excluded from the International Space Station, largely because of U.S. concerns over the Chinese military’s total control of the space program amid a sharpening competition in technology between the two geopolitical rivals. This year, the Chinese station is slated for two cargo spacecraft missions and two manned spaceflight missions. |
Taylor Swift fans use clues to work out the exact dates she recorded songs on recordAlexa Chung puts on a leggy display in a sexy silk coMan accused of firing a gun on a North Carolina university campus taken into custodyCisco Systems joins Microsoft, IBM in Vatican pledge to ensure ethical use and development of AIUkrainian officials thank the US for its latest military aid to help stop Russia's onslaughtComedian Elayne Boosler says she was arrested at a Los Angeles Dodgers game because of a 'powerIndonesia declares Prabowo Subianto presidentA Russian priest who held Navalny's memorial service is suspended by Moscow churchFamke Janssen, 59, shows off her ageBeauty experts reveal the common gel manicure mistakes that are RUINING your nails