Shenzhou XVIII crew return with space project samples

The Shenzhou XVIII crew returned to Earth early Monday morning, concluding a six-month mission onboard the Tiangong space station.

The astronauts brought back 55 sets of experimental samples, with a combined weight of 34.6 kilograms. These are related to 28 experimental projects, ranging from life sciences to microgravity combustion research.

The spaceship's reentry capsule, carrying mission commander Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu and crew members Lieutenant Colonel Li Cong and Lieutenant Colonel Li Guangsu, flew for more than nine hours before touching down at 1:24 am at the Dongfeng Landing Site in the middle of the Gobi Desert in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.