NANJING - China's space-tracking ship Yuanwang VI concluded its 154-day trip on Thursday after covering more than 30,000 nautical miles.

The ship returned to the port of China Satellite Maritime Tracking and Controlling Department in eastern Jiangsu province.

Since September 2011, Yuanwang III, Yuanwang V and Yuanwang VI had sailed out in succession to maritime areas in the Pacific to carry out 12 tracking missions, including China's first space rendezvous and docking test of spaceship Shenzhou-8 and space lab module Tiangong-1. Yuanwang III and Yuanwang V came back home at the end of January.

Construction of Yuanwang VI was completed in 2008. It represents a new generation of space-tracking ships designed and manufactured in China, manipulating and coordinating the space position of satellites and spaceships.

On its maiden voyage in September 2008, Yuanwang VI was engaged in maritime tracking of the Shenzhou-7 manned space mission.