Three Chinese astronauts, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin, have safely returned to Earth after a six-month mission aboard the Shenzhou 17 spacecraft.

The crew landed in Inner Mongolia, having completed tasks such as scientific experiments, spacewalks for repairs, and receiving supplies from a robotic cargo ship at the Tiangong space station.

The mission was notable for having the youngest crew to visit Tiangong, with ages of 48, 34, and 35.

China has already initiated the Shenzhou 18 mission with even younger astronauts, maintaining a continuous human presence on Tiangong for the foreseeable future.

China's ambitious space program aims to conduct moon landings and develop giant, reusable rockets as part of its long-term human space exploration objectives.