China's Shenzhou-21, Shenzhou-23 crews complete in-orbit handover

China

China's Shenzhou-21, Shenzhou-23 crews complete in-orbit handover

2026-05-28 13:50 Last Updated At：16:37

China's Shenzhou-21 and Shenzhou-23 astronaut crews held a handover ceremony on Thursday, during which the Shenzhou-21 crew transferred the key of the country's space station to the latter.

The Shenzhou-21 crew has now completed all planned tasks. The three astronauts will take the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft and return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the coming few days, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

"Seven months ago, the Shenzhou-20 crew handed this key over to us. Now, we are about to leave the space station, and I feel truly reluctant to say goodbye. Living and working with you all these days has been a great joy and pleasure. What has left a deep impression on us is your team spirit of three as one and your working ability, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I am confident that you will continue to do an even better job aboard the space station in the days ahead. Today, we pass this key on to you. We hope you will operate the space station even better in the future. And we will wait for your triumphant return in Beijing," said Zhang Lu, commander of the Shenzhou-21 spaceflight mission crew.

"Now, we have received the key -- a symbol of the baton for China's space station. During the past few days, you, the Shenzhou-21 crew, have shared with us your knowledge and experience in every aspect of life and work, leaving no detail unattended. We are truly grateful and deeply impressed by your dedication. Over the past seven months, you have carried out your mission with great success. Going forward, we will carry forward your work spirit and valuable experience. We will run our own leg of the space relay steadily and well. We will learn from you and complete our mission successfully. Thank you for your dedication. Thank you for your hard work. We are truly grateful," said Zhu Yangzhu, commander of the Shenzhou-23 spaceflight mission crew. At present, final preparations are in full swing across all participating systems and the landing site in order to welcome the trio back.

WMO report forecasts warmest year in next 5 years

Global average temperatures are likely to continue at or near record levels in the next five years, according to a report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released on Thursday.

There is 86 percent chance that one year between 2026 and 2030 will surpass 2024 as the warmest year on record, said the report.

It is very likely (91 percent chance) that the global mean near-surface temperature will temporarily exceed 1.5 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline of 1850–1900 average levels for at least one year between 2026 and 2030.

The level was also temporarily exceeded in 2024, when the global average surface temperature was about 1.55 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline.

The five-year predicted average temperature in the central tropical Pacific indicates a tendency towards El Nino conditions, particularly in 2027 and 2028, said the report.

There is an El Nino predicted for the end of 2026, which increases the chances of the following year, 2027, being the next record-breaking year, according to Dr. Leon Hermanson, the lead author of the report.

The 1.5 degree Celsius levels specified in the Paris Agreement refer to the long-term warming sustained over an extended period, typically assessed over 20 years.

Individual years with annual global mean temperatures exceeding these levels do not mean that the long-term temperature goals of the Paris Agreement are out of reach.

Temporary exceedances are expected to occur with increasing frequency, as the rising trends in global temperature approaches these levels, said the report.