3 astronauts return to Earth after 6-month stay on China’s space station

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Three astronauts have returned to Earth after six months aboard China’s orbiting space station. Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao emerged from the return capsule at a Chinese space center Tuesday morning. They are reportedly in good health. The station’s new three-person crew arrived to the Tiangong station last week. The station is essentially complete, so the new crew will conduct medical and scientific experiments and maintain equipment. China made its first crewed space mission in 2003 and is seeking to send astronauts to the moon before 2030.