Overview

• The Shenzhou 16 astronauts, Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu, and Gui Haichao, have successfully returned to Earth after spending five months aboard the Tiangong space station. Their return was complicated by a significant hole appearing in the parachute of the re-entry capsule, an event unreported in previous missions.
• Despite the damage, the spacecraft touched down safely at the Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi Desert, Mongolian at 8:11 p.m. EDT on Oct. 30, although the capsule tumbled a few times due to the impact.
• Independent space experts suggest that the hole in the parachute could be due to vented propellant burn or a manufacturing defect. Parachute failures have been fatal in the past, making this a significant incident in the history of crewed space missions.
• Spacecraft from Shenzhou missions carry a backup parachute which is deployed automatically if the re-entry capsule descends too quickly, providing a secondary safety measure.
• The astronauts successfully performed a range of scientific experiments and conducted an eight-hour spacewalk during their time aboard the Tiangong station. Once safely on Earth, their health conditions were confirmed to be sound upon an initial medical check.