The countdown is on! China's Shenzhou-17 spacecraft is gearing up for its return to Earth, and the final rehearsal just wrapped up on Friday. The excitement is palpable as the three astronauts prepare to touch down at the Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi Desert, located in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
More than 10 search and rescue teams, equipped with helicopters and a fleet of medical and support vehicles, took part in the comprehensive drill. The teams coordinated closely to simulate the landing of the re-entry capsule, ensuring everything runs smoothly when the big day arrives.
Wang Yifan, a member of the air detachment team, shared his confidence after the rehearsal:
\"From the recent drills and exercises we have participated in, the technical and tactical level of our personnel has been tempered and improved; equipment performance has been effectively tested; cooperation between the five helicopters is becoming more and more tacit; and the location of the landing point is becoming more and more accurate,\" he said.
The Astronaut Center of China also joined the rehearsal, focusing on medical monitoring and support for the astronauts. Xu Chong, a member of the search and rescue teams, noted:
\"For us, this whole system drill is mainly about medical monitoring and support for the crew members inside and outside the re-entry capsule, and inside the vehicles prepared for them. We have achieved our targeted goals after this drill with all working systems.\"
With the sandy and dusty weather in the Gobi Desert this April, the ground detachment team upgraded their response strategies to ensure a safe and efficient recovery of the crew.
After nearly six months in space, the Shenzhou-17 crew is set to return on Tuesday. All systems are go, and China is ready to welcome their astronauts back home. 
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
