Dongfeng Landing Site, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, north China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of helicopter taking off, hovering in mid-air
2. Various of Shenzhou-20 crew search and recovery mission rehearsal in progress
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wang Wenjuan, member, Shenzhou-20 crew search and recovery mission air detachment (starting with shot 2/ending with shot 4):
"Our five helicopters will be deployed around the landing area of the return capsule, forming a square with the four sides approximately 26 kilometers long each, arranged in a tiered formation into the air. This setup will ensure that the landing area of the return capsule remains perfectly centered within this square."
4. Various of rehearsal in progress
5. Various of helicopter taking off, in air
6. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Dong Yang, member, Shenzhou-20 crew search and recovery mission air detachment (ending with shot 7):
"Compared to the western section, the eastern section involves a more complex terrain with uneven surfaces and dense forests, which can significantly affect landing conditions."
7. Various of rehearsal in progress
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wang Chao, member, Shenzhou-20 crew search and recovery mission air detachment (starting with shot 7/ending with shot 9):
"A prominent feature of the eastern section is the high dust levels. During helicopter takeoff and landing, significant amounts of dust may be stirred up, which can potentially damage the engine, rotor and tail rotor. In response, we will carry a borescope for comprehensive and detailed inspections of the engine blades after each flight."
9. Various of detachment members checking helicopter
10. Various of rehearsal in progress
11. Helicopters in air
12. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wang Wenjuan, member, Shenzhou-20 crew search and recovery mission air detachment (starting with shots 10-11):
"Each helicopter is staffed with two captains, two engineers and a navigator. All captains boast around 4,000 flight hours and have participated in numerous Shenzhou spaceship search and recovery missions, giving them substantial flight experience and mission expertise."
13. Various of helicopter taking off, in air

The air detachment responsible for the search and recovery mission for China's Shenzhou-20 crew has undergone multiple rehearsals and is fully prepared for the search and recovery operation.

The Shenzhou-20 crew, after a six-month stay in space, will land in the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

During the final full-process, full-element rehearsal conducted at night, the five helicopters of the air detachment swiftly maneuvered and positioned themselves around the simulated return capsule following the command.

The five helicopters include one for command, one for communication, one for medical supervision and rescue and two for medical rescue.

"Our five helicopters will be deployed around the landing area of the return capsule, forming a square with the four sides approximately 26 kilometers long each, arranged in a tiered formation into the air. This setup will ensure that the landing area of the return capsule remains perfectly centered within this square," said Wang Wenjuan, a member of the detachment.

Since arriving at the landing site over 20 days ago, the air detachment has engaged in intensive training, completing seven individual training sessions and five joint exercises so far.

While the Shenzhou-20 return capsule is scheduled to land in the western section of the Dongfeng Landing Site, the air detachment conducted night training in the eastern section for the first time to enhance their preparedness for emergencies, ensuring they are ready for any potential scenario.

"Compared to the western section, the eastern section involves a more complex terrain with uneven surfaces and dense forests, which can significantly affect landing conditions," said Dong Yang, another member.

"A prominent feature of the eastern section is the high dust levels. During helicopter takeoff and landing, significant amounts of dust may be stirred up, which can potentially damage the engine, rotor and tail rotor. In response, we will carry a borescope for comprehensive and detailed inspections of the engine blades after each flight," said Wang Chao, still another member.

The brigade tasked with the aerial search, rescue and recovery mission is undertaking its 18th mission related to the Shenzhou spaceship return.

"Each helicopter is staffed with two captains, two engineers and a navigator. All captains boast around 4,000 flight hours and have participated in numerous Shenzhou spaceship search and recovery missions, giving them substantial flight experience and mission expertise," Wang said.

China launched the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft, carrying three astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, in late April.

The astronaut trio has completed a series of tasks, including extravehicular activities and conducting various space science experiments.

The Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft was launched into space on October 31 atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket. The Shenzhou-21 crew of three astronauts will replace the Shenzhou-20 crew in orbit.