Astronauts return to Earth today

Out of this world: The Shenzhou-15 and Shenzhou-14 crew taking a group picture after a historic gathering in space on Wednesday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. — AP

BEIJING: The Shenzhou 14 mission crew is scheduled to return to Earth today after a six-month stay inside the Tiangong space station, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The agency said yesterday morning that the Shenzhou 14 astronauts – Senior Colonel Chen Dong, Senior Colonel Liu Yang and Senior Colonel Cai Xuzhe – handed over on Friday evening the control of the Tiangong station to their peers in the Shenzhou 15 – Major General Fei Junlong, Senior Colonel Deng Qingming and Senior Colonel Zhang Lu, who arrived on the massive orbiting outpost on Wednesday.