Chinese astronaut returns to Earth after record time in space

According to the Global Times, the six-month trip nearly doubled the previous record of the longest space mission by China set by Shenzhou 12 as 92 days.

The Shenzhou 13 spacecraft successfully landed at 9:56 a.m. local time on April 16 at Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi desert, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, North China. The medical team confirmed that the three-person crew was in good health, marking the full success of the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft mission.

In addition to the record stay in space, Shenzhou mission 13 also set many other records and were the first records in China’s manned space history.

Shenzhou spacecraft developer, China Academy of Spacecraft Technology (CAST), said that the Shenzhou 13 mission also explored for the first time the emergency mission mechanics, in which manned spacecraft Shenzhou 14 and Long March 2F Y14 rocket in readiness position after launching Shenzhou 13 and Long March 2F Y13 missile. This allows for a potential space rescue for the crew of Shenzhou 13 in the event of any malfunction preventing the spacecraft from returning to Earth.

Compared to the return trip of Shenzhou 12 mission which took about 28 hours, Shenzhou 13 took only 8 hours.

CAST explains that Shenzhou 13’s orbital plan is streamlined down to 5 orbits compared to the 18 orbits of the Shenzhou 12 mission, and it is designed to further improve return efficiency, withdrawing shorten the time of ground monitoring and create more comfort for returning astronauts.

The Shenzhou 13 crew’s six-month stay in orbit – an unprecedented record – was considered, and the plan was to make their journey home comfortable, said deputy design director Shao Limin. than.

Wang Ya’nan, editor-in-chief of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, says this approach requires more precise control of the spacecraft and more precise orbital calculations, to The spacecraft, once detached, can quickly target the landing area, calculate the return path, and adjust the altitude.

“Being able to adopt such a quick return method shows that technology is coming back The earth China’s manned missions are already very mature and reliable,” Wang added.

To ensure a safe and smooth return, the Chinese astronauts performed muscle training exercises. Meanwhile, the ground support team assessed the astronauts’ physical and psychological well-being and made targeted adjustments.

“The reason the three crew members’ physical and psychological well-being was better than expected is because we’ve arranged their lives and work in space with care, order, and reasonable,” explained Mr. Wang.

The Chinese astronauts on Shenzhou 13 have performed two successful walks, with Wang Yaping (Wang Yaping) becoming the first Chinese female astronaut in history. space walk. Wang Yaping also holds the record for the longest time in orbit by any Chinese astronaut.

The crew conducted two science lectures for students on Earth, connecting with young people in Beijing, Hong Kong, Macao and the Xinjiang and Western autonomous regions.

They also played an important role in many historic moments in China over the past six months, sending greetings for the Lunar New Year as well as joining the audience of the Olympics. Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics from space.

With the advancement of communication technology in space, crew members can enjoy Internet entertainment, chat with family and friends frequently, and have regular space-Earth interactions. often. The two spatial lectures were also of great help in boosting their mental state.