Beijing: Three Chinese astronauts returned safely to Earth after spending over 200 days aboard the country's Tiangong space station. China's Shenzhou-21 spacecraft crew, consisting of astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang, landed in Inner Mongolia at 8:12 pm Beijing time (1212 GMT) on Friday, as reported by Chinese state media.

According to Anadolu Agency, the return marks the completion of a significant mission in China's expanding space program. The astronauts' long-duration mission was part of ongoing operations at the Tiangong space station, which plays a crucial role in Beijing's long-term space exploration plans.

China's space endeavors continue to advance with the recent launch of the Shenzhou-23 mission. This mission sent a new crew of three astronauts-Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan, and Li Jiaying-into space to continue work at the Tiangong station. Earlier this week, a handover ceremony was conducted in orbit, allowing the outgoing Shenzhou-21 astronauts to formally transfer control of the space station to the Shenzhou-23 team.

The Tiangong space station is integral to China's ambitions for scientific research, space exploration, and future lunar missions.