# Zhang Lu

Homecoming in the Gobi: China’s Shenzhou-21 Success Solidifies its Permanent Presence in Orbit

China’s Shenzhou-21 crew has successfully returned to Earth after a landmark mission that coincided with the integration of Hong Kong’s first astronaut into the national program. The mission reinforces China's status as a leading space power with a permanently inhabited orbital station, contrasting its state-led stability against recent setbacks in Western private space ventures.