Shenzhou-20 astronauts enter space station

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on April 25, 2025 shows a group photo of the crew of Shenzhou-19 and Shenzhou-20 manned spaceships. The three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou-20 spaceship have entered the country's space station and met with another astronaut trio in the early hours of Friday, starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover. [Xinhua/Jin Liwang]

BEIJING -- The three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou-20 spaceship have entered the country's space station and met with another astronaut trio in the early hours of Friday, starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover.

The Shenzhou-19 crew opened the hatch at 1:17 a.m. (Beijing Time) and greeted the new arrivals, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The six crew members then took group pictures for the sixth space get-together in China's aerospace history.

They will live and work together for about five days to complete planned tasks and handover work, the CMSA said.

The Shenzhou-19 crew is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 29. 

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on April 25, 2025 shows the crew of Shenzhou-19 and Shenzhou-20 manned spaceships talking with each other. The three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou-20 spaceship have entered the country's space station and met with another astronaut trio in the early hours of Friday, starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover. [Xinhua/Jin Liwang]