According to the information from China’s manned Changzheng Engineering Co.Ltd(603698) office, after seeing off the Tianzhou II cargo spacecraft, the astronauts in orbit are making preparations for the return of Shenzhou 13 spacecraft.
On October 16, 2021, astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and ye Guangfu entered the Tianhe core module aboard Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, becoming the second batch of astronauts to enter the Chinese space station. During the more than 160 days of space flight, three astronauts, with the support of ground scientific and technological personnel, successfully completed two extravehicular activities and two “Tiangong classroom” space teaching activities, and carried out a number of scientific and technological experiments and application projects. Wang Yaping became the first female astronaut in China to carry out extravehicular activities. For the first time, the astronauts completed the docking between the cargo spacecraft and the space station through remote operation in orbit. The flight crew set a new record for the continuous duration of Chinese astronauts in orbit, which laid a solid foundation for the subsequent construction of the space station.
During the Shenzhou 13 manned mission, Chinese astronauts crossed the new year in space for the first time and celebrated the Spring Festival in space for the first time. With the support of the ground, the flight crew took advantage of the gap between work and training to participate in the “Beijing Hong Kong Macao heavenly palace dialogue” activity on New Year’s day, held the first Chinese heavenly palace painting exhibition, carried out interactive exchanges between heaven and earth with the majority of teenagers, and carried out distinctive popular science education and cultural communication activities.
At present, the core module assembly of the space station is operating stably in orbit, and the astronaut crew is scheduled to return to the ground in mid April.
