The return capsule of the Shenzhou-20 spaceship touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Monday morning, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The capsule landed at 9:34 a.m., and an on-site inspection confirmed that the appearance of the capsule was in overall good condition, and the items inside were in good condition.

The CMSA declared the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft return mission a complete success.

China launched the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft on April 24, 2025, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The spacecraft successfully docked with the country's space station.

However, the spaceship's return was delayed in November due to a suspected impact from small space debris, and the spacecraft remained in orbit to conduct related experiments.

To mitigate the risks of the capsule's return, the Shenzhou-21 crew took close-up photos of the Shenzhou-20 return capsule's porthole during a spacewalk on December 9, further confirming the condition of the crack.

They also installed the porthole crack repair device that had been developed and sent to space through the emergency launch of the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft, inside the Shenzhou-20 capsule, effectively improving the spacecraft's heat resistance and sealing capabilities for reentry.

At 12:23 a.m. on Monday, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft undocked from the space station and returned to Earth in an unmanned state. It spent 270 days in orbit, verifying its ability to remain in orbit for nine months.

Following the discovery of the porthole crack, the mission command acted swiftly, conducting simulations and analysis. Adjustments were made to the mission plan and emergency procedures were activated. On November 14, 2025, the Shenzhou-20 crew safely returned to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft.

On November 25, China successfully launched the Shenzhou-22 uncrewed spacecraft, marking its first-ever emergency space launch.

The Shenzhou-23 spacecraft, which will take over backup duties, has already arrived at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, with the Long March-2F Y23 rocket soon to be ready for launch.

With the successful return of the Shenzhou-20 capsule, China has met all the major objectives of its space station's emergency mission.