Packing Empty Shenzhou-20 Crew Spacecraft for Earth Return | China Space Station
The Shenzhou-21 crew members aboard China's orbiting Tiangong Space Station had recorded their preparations for the debris-hit Shenzhou-20 spacecraft before its safe landing back on Earth on Jan. 19, 2026, after its extended stay in orbit.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed the return capsule touched down safely at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 09:34 local time on Jan. 19, bringing an end to the extraordinary mission.
The footage released by the CMSA on Sunday showed the three astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang conducting essential procedures aboard the space station.
During their final operations, the crew packed items including the decommissioned extravehicular spacesuit B, a number of large payloads from space application systems, and other materials designated for disposal or return to Earth.
Shenzhou-20, returning uncrewed, has set a record for the largest volume of cargo ever carried back to Earth in a single mission. Throughout the transfer and fixation process, the astronauts paid close attention to mass distribution and balance to maintain the spacecraft's stability during its re-entry and descent to Earth.
The crew also conducted detailed checks of the docking port and hatch seals, confirming that all sealing functions were intact and the hatch was secure.
Launched last April, Shenzhou-20's planned return was postponed in early November due to concerns over damage caused by a suspected space debris impact, after the CMSA said tiny cracks were found in the Shenzhou-20 return capsule's viewport window. An alternative spacecraft was later used to transport the three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-20 mission safely back to Earth.
Despite sustaining damage, the capsule withstood temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius during the re-entry process and successfully touched down on Earth. Initial on-site inspections by ground crew at the landing site confirmed the return capsule's overall appearance was normal and that the items returned inside were in good condition.
The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft spent a total of 270 days in orbit, validating its long-term docking capability, with engineers saying the follow-up work will also provide an important basis for China's space program to continually refine operating procedures.
Duration: 1 minute, 10 seconds
Release Date: Jan. 25, 2026
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