Supporting personnel at the Dongfeng Landing Site get ready for the return of Shenzhou-16 crew, Gobi desert in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, October 27, 2023. /CFP
The Dongfeng Landing Site, located in the Gobi Desert in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, got ready on Friday for the return of Shenzhou-16 and the three astronauts aboard it from the China Space Station.
The Shenzhou-16 crew, sent to China's space station on May 30, is scheduled to land there next Tuesday after a five-month stay in space, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Supporting personnel at the landing site have made every preparation for the return of Shenzhou-16 from space.
More than 10 search and rescue groups, five helicopters and nearly 100 vehicles with different functions headed for their positions in the early hours of Friday morning for the final drills.
Supporting personnel at the Dongfeng Landing Site get ready for the return of Shenzhou-16 crew, Gobi Desert in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, October 27, 2023. /CFP
Zhang Lei, a member of the air search and rescue detachment for the Shenzhou-16 return, said that they are fully capable of search and rescue and will complete the mission accurately, efficiently, safely and reliably.
"We'll make sure that the supporting aircraft and personnel are in place before the return capsule lands, guaranteeing the astronauts' safety," said Zhang.
Ground system equipment at site has improved to ensure efficient search for and safe arrival of the Shenzhou-16 crew in a zone with complex topography.
The landing site near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center was put into use in September 2021, when it was the landing spot for the three astronauts on the Shenzhou-12 manned space mission.