The Shenzhou-21 astronaut crew will stay in space for an extra month, after careful consideration from China’s Manned Space Engineering Office, the country’s state broadcaster reported.
The Shenzhou-21 space rocket and its crew blasted off atop a Long March-2F rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-west China on Oct 31.
On the current mission are Zhang Hongzhang, Wu Fei – China’s youngest astronaut to be sent to space – and Commander Zhang Lu, who flew on the 2022 Shenzhou-15 mission.
The astronauts are working closely with the support of the space station’s robotic arm and researchers and have successfully completed tasks including installing space debris protection devices and inspecting extravehicular equipment and facilities, CCTV said, citing the space office.
The trio have been in orbit for over five months and are in good living and working condition, CCTV said.
The crew were expected to return to Earth around April once they completed their half-year shift. That will now be extended by a month, although CCTV did not give an exact date for their return. — Reuters
