Shenzhou-12 return capsule opened in Beijing

Staff workers take items out of the return capsule of Shenzhou-12 spacecraft at a ceremony in Beijing, China’s capital city, September 27, 2021. (China News Service/Zhao Jun)

A hatch-opening ceremony of the return capsule of China’s Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft was held on Monday in Beijing. The spacecraft carrying three Chinese astronauts who had worked in the space station Tianhe core module for 90 days was back to Earth on Sept. 17.

Chinese scientists have retrieved the latest experimental samples from the Tiangong space station, including seeds of certain crops for China's space breeding industry.