Worked on the numpy/numpy repository to deliver a type-safe enhancement for the ndarray.astype method, ensuring that the return type now preserves shape information. This update focused on improving type safety and API consistency, reducing the risk of shape-related runtime errors and simplifying downstream code migrations. The approach emphasized static typing and type hinting in Python, with comprehensive unit tests validating the new behavior and supporting regression testing. No major bugs were addressed during this period, as the primary effort centered on feature development and robust test coverage, laying the groundwork for stronger typing across ndarray operations within the library.