Watch Chinese Shenzhou-18 space crew return to Earth

The three astronauts sent on China’s Shenzhou-18 space mission have returned to Earth after six months on board the Tiangong space station.

Footage shows the return capsule safely landing in north China, with the astronauts all reported to be in good health.

Before their return they handed over control of the space station to three Shenzhou-19 astronauts.

That new Tiangong team will carry out experiments as part of the Chinese space programme’s goal of placing astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and eventually constructing a lunar base.