<p>Three Chinese astronauts have completed the country's longest crewed mission and started their journey home on Thursday after 90 days at the Tiangong space station conducting spacewalks and scientific experiments.</p>.<p>"The Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft has successfully separated from the space station's core module," state broadcaster CCTV said Thursday.</p>.<p>The mission was part of China's heavily promoted space programme, which has already seen the nation land a rover on Mars and send probes to the moon.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/chinese-astronauts-make-first-space-walk-outside-new-station-1004714.html">Chinese astronauts make first space walk outside new station</a></strong></p>.<p>The craft carrying the three taikonauts is expected to return to earth on Friday, state-run China Aerospace news reported.</p>.<p>The launch of Beijing's first crewed mission in nearly five years coincided with the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1, and was the highlight of a massive propaganda campaign.</p>.<p>Tiangong, meaning "heavenly palace", is expected to last at least 10 years.</p>.<p>The core module of the space station, where the astronauts lived, has separate living spaces for each astronaut, a "space treadmill" and an exercise bike, as well as a communication centre for emails and video calls with ground control, China's space administration said.</p>.<p>The mission is headed by Nie Haisheng, a decorated airforce pilot in the People's Liberation Army who previously participated in two space missions.</p>.<p>The two other astronauts, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo, are also in the military.</p>.<p>The Chinese space agency is planning a total of 11 launches before the end of next year, including three more crewed missions that will deliver two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne station.</p>.<p>China's space ambitions have been fuelled in part by a US ban on its astronauts on the International Space Station, a collaboration between the United States, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan.</p>.<p>The ISS is due for retirement after 2024, although NASA has said it could potentially remain functional beyond 2028.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Three Chinese astronauts have completed the country's longest crewed mission and started their journey home on Thursday after 90 days at the Tiangong space station conducting spacewalks and scientific experiments.</p>.<p>"The Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft has successfully separated from the space station's core module," state broadcaster CCTV said Thursday.</p>.<p>The mission was part of China's heavily promoted space programme, which has already seen the nation land a rover on Mars and send probes to the moon.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/chinese-astronauts-make-first-space-walk-outside-new-station-1004714.html">Chinese astronauts make first space walk outside new station</a></strong></p>.<p>The craft carrying the three taikonauts is expected to return to earth on Friday, state-run China Aerospace news reported.</p>.<p>The launch of Beijing's first crewed mission in nearly five years coincided with the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1, and was the highlight of a massive propaganda campaign.</p>.<p>Tiangong, meaning "heavenly palace", is expected to last at least 10 years.</p>.<p>The core module of the space station, where the astronauts lived, has separate living spaces for each astronaut, a "space treadmill" and an exercise bike, as well as a communication centre for emails and video calls with ground control, China's space administration said.</p>.<p>The mission is headed by Nie Haisheng, a decorated airforce pilot in the People's Liberation Army who previously participated in two space missions.</p>.<p>The two other astronauts, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo, are also in the military.</p>.<p>The Chinese space agency is planning a total of 11 launches before the end of next year, including three more crewed missions that will deliver two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne station.</p>.<p>China's space ambitions have been fuelled in part by a US ban on its astronauts on the International Space Station, a collaboration between the United States, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan.</p>.<p>The ISS is due for retirement after 2024, although NASA has said it could potentially remain functional beyond 2028.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here:</strong></p>