Dongfeng landing site ready to welcome return of Shenzhou XVIII astronauts

JIUQUAN -- The Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia autonomous region, North China, is ready to welcome the return of the Shenzhou XVIII astronaut crew, according to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

To ensure search and rescue readiness, the last comprehensive drill was carried out at the Dongfeng landing site from Thursday evening to early morning on Friday, said the center.

The return capsule of the Shenzhou XVIII manned spaceship, carrying three astronauts, is scheduled to touch down on Earth in the early morning on Nov 4.

The comprehensive drill was designed to target any difficulties and requirements expected from challenging conditions, such as the weather, the center added.

All personnel and equipment at the Dongfeng landing site are ready to be deployed to support the search and rescue missions. Moreover, the Shenzhou-18 crew completed all preparations before leaving the Tiangong Space Station.

China launched the Shenzhou XIX crewed spaceship on Wednesday, sending three astronauts to its orbiting space station for a six-month mission.

The Shenzhou XIX and Shenzhou XVIII crews met in the Tiangong space station, starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover.