The desert survival training tested the allocation of emergency supplies so their design can be improved in the future, said Huang Weifen, deputy chief designer at the ACC.

Chinese astronauts also completed emergency escape training on a launchpad in Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, which has launched all manned spacecraft in the country.

The training programs were part of the comprehensive training of astronauts for China's space station.

China plans to start assembling its space station in space in 2020. It is scheduled to become fully operational around 2022.