The Shenzhou XV and Shenzhou XVI crews pose in the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong space station on May 30, marking the start of the in-orbit crew handover, in this screen grab from the Beijing Aerospace Control Center. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING/JIUQUAN – The Shenzhou XV mission crew members have completed all assigned tasks and are scheduled to return to Earth on Sunday, China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Friday.

The crew will return to the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, it said, adding that the landing site and all systems have fully prepared to welcome the astronauts home.

The landing site has completed the preparations for the return of the three astronauts – Major General Fei Junlong, the mission commander, Senior Colonel Deng Qingming and Senior Colonel Zhang Lu, according to the CMSA.

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The Shenzhou XVI mission crew members, including the first Chinese civilian astronaut, reached orbit on Tuesday and started work in the Tiangong space station.

On Friday, the three astronauts handed over the control of the space station to the crew of Shenzhou XVI which was launched on Tuesday, completing the country's second in-orbit crew rotation, according to the agency.

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The Shenzhou XV crew was tasked with staying in orbit for six months to carry out a number of assignments, such as conducting spacewalks to mount equipment outside the station, installing and testing scientific cabinets and conducting scientific experiments and technological demonstrations, mission officials have said.