Tong Feizhou waves to people as she walks out of a simulated space capsule after her three companions — Tang Yongkang (L in 1st row), Luo Jie (C) and Wu Shiyun (R) at the compound of the Space Institute of Southern China (Shenzhen) in Longgang District yesterday. The four volunteers, who are not astronauts, spent 180 days of isolated life together in the confined simulated space capsule and conducted more than 20 high-level experiments. The capsule, constructed in the Southern Research Institute of Space Technology, was designed to simulate a controlled ecological life support system.

    Cen Zhili