The Shenzhou-16 crew is set to return to Earth on October 31 and land at the Dongfeng Landing Site. From equipment to personnel, everything is ready. Sun Ye has more.
Song Zhao will take this helicopter for Shenzhou 16's return mission.
He said he would be our eyes and ears — extremely good ones, too.
SONG CHAO Air Search Team, Communications Technician "This is because our job is to ensure smooth communication during the return process. The most crucial part of it is to quickly and efficiently transmit images from the landing site. The images you often see, such as the famous "blooming" of the parachute, are among those we transmit.”
He is part of a 5-helicopter team that patrols the sky during the return mission.
Around one hundred vehicles of various kinds are also deployed on the ground.
This marks the 5th time that taikonauts have returned to the Dongfeng Landing Site.
The most recent return was in June when the Shenzhou-15 crew came back, safe and sound.
SONG CHAO Air Search Team, Communications Technician "Considering the possibility of heavy sandstorms this autumn, we've conducted multiple targeted training sessions and had dust protection measures done for the equipment. We've also prepared spare parts."
Song has been working on space return missions since 2011, starting with the Shenzhou-8 mission.
He said that throughout the years, their team has adhered to one motto: always working to ensure that nothing is amiss.
Sun Ye, CGTN, Jiuquan.
