Shenzhou-21 Crew Returns After Record 210-Day Mission

Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth safely on Friday evening, concluding a historic 210-day mission aboard the Tiangong space station that set a new national record for the longest single-crew orbital stay. The Shenzhou-21 crew — commander Zhang Lu, flight engineer Wu Fei, and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang — touched down at the Dongfeng Landing Site in Inner Mongolia at 8:11 p.m. Beijing time aboard the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). All three astronauts are in good health.

A Mission Forged in Emergency

The Shenzhou-21 mission was anything but routine. What began as a standard crew rotation in October 2025 became China’s first-ever emergency crew transfer after the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft’s return capsule viewport window suffered a suspected micro-crack from space debris, rendering it unsafe for crewed return.

As Xinhua News reported, the Shenzhou-20 crew — led by commander Chen Dong — returned to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft on November 14, 2025, leaving the Shenzhou-21 crew aboard Tiangong without a dedicated return vehicle. For approximately 11 days, the three astronauts remained on the station with no immediate escape capsule until China activated its “rolling backup” strategy, launching the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft on November 25, 2025. The replacement docked autonomously in just 3.5 hours.

“After we take the spacecraft away, if you encounter any risks, there will be no spacecraft to return,” Zhang Lu told Chen Dong during the handover, according to Xinhua. Chen’s reply: “It’s fine, your safety is what we care about.”

Record-Breaking Duration and Spacewalks

The crew’s 210-day stay in orbit surpassed the previous Chinese record of 192 days set by the Shenzhou-18 mission. During their extended stay, Zhang Lu completed a total of seven extravehicular activities (EVAs), becoming the Chinese astronaut with the most spacewalks to date, as reported by Global Times. Wu Fei, on his maiden spaceflight, completed three EVAs, making him the youngest Chinese astronaut to perform spacewalks.

The three spacewalks conducted during the Shenzhou-21 mission included inspecting and photographing the damaged Shenzhou-20 window, installing space debris protection devices, and inspecting external equipment.

Scientific Breakthroughs in Orbit

The mission achieved several scientific firsts. The crew conducted China’s first mammalian space experiment aboard the space station, using four mice to study the effects of the space environment on life. They also completed a world-first “artificial embryo” experiment in space, with implications for future human survival and reproduction beyond Earth.

According to SpacePolicyOnline.com, the crew grew low-defect indium selenide crystals in orbit, which have been used to prepare high-performance field-effect transistor prototypes on the ground. They also achieved the first aeroponic cultivation of cherry tomatoes and wheat on China’s space station, and successfully ignited a new ionic liquid propellant in orbit.

The Apple from Space

In a poignant gesture timed for China’s National Science and Technology Workers Day on May 30, Zhang Lu brought back an apple from the space station as a tribute to the nation’s science and technology professionals. The apple, given to the crew by the ground support team on launch day, bore the Chinese characters for “Ping’an” (safety).

“On the launch day of the Shenzhou-21 space mission, the ground support team gave us an apple to wish us a safe and smooth mission,” Zhang said, as reported by Xinhua. “So when we departed the Tiangong space station, we deliberately brought an apple back to give to all sci-tech workers.”

A Faster Return Home

The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft, the first of a new batch of upgraded Shenzhou vehicles, employed a 3-orbit fast return scheme — China’s second use of this technology for a crewed spacecraft. According to Mao Yongjun of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the spacecraft flew independently for approximately 4.5 hours before entering the return procedure, with the entire descent and landing taking about 50 minutes. The capsule touched down in an upright position, and by 8:59 p.m., all three astronauts had exited the capsule.

What Comes Next

The Shenzhou-23 crew has already arrived at Tiangong to continue China’s uninterrupted human presence in orbit, a streak that began in December 2022. China plans to expand the space station from its current T-shape to a cross-shaped configuration and is actively working toward crewed lunar missions. The Long March 10 rocket and Mengzhou spacecraft successfully completed a low-altitude demonstration test in February 2026.

The Shenzhou-20 window crack has also prompted enhanced viewport window protection on subsequent spacecraft, including Shenzhou-23. As China’s space program matures, the lessons learned from this emergency response — the first of its kind — will inform future mission planning, particularly as the country sets its sights on the Moon and beyond.