On April 16, Shenzhou XIII astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu safely came back to Earth from the Tiangong space station. Let's take a look!
Speedy return
The mission set a new speed record. When the Shenzhou Ⅻ came back from the space station in 2021, it took about 28 hours. This time, Shenzhou ⅩⅢ cut down the number of orbits (环绕地球圈数) from 11 to five.
Landing upright
The re-entry capsule (返回舱) landed upright (直立). This landing position is rare in China's space flight history.To achieve this, astronauts must let go of the parachute (降落伞) with precise timing. Landing upright makes sure that astronauts have the softest landing.
Keeping seated
But they still needed to sit on chairs. The long space journey changed their bodies. Their muscles and bones became weaker. In the next few months, they will gradually get used to Earth's gravity.
| A. It took just 9 hours to return! B. The astronauts felt good after landing. C. There are many interesting facts about their landing. D. Only Shenzhou Ⅵ and Shenzhou ⅩⅢ have successfully done so. |
