Shenzhou-23 Astronauts Send National Day Greetings from Space
Dragon Media News Desk
The three astronauts aboard China’s Tiangong space station sent video greetings to their motherland on Thursday, as China marked its National Day and the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Crew commander Zhu Yangzhu and fellow astronauts Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying delivered their wishes for the country and its space program as the station passed over China, about 400 kilometres above Earth. Li is the first astronaut from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to travel to space.
“When we look at Earth from the space station, that brilliantly lit land is the motherland we miss day and night,” Li said.
The three astronauts were launched aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft late on May 24 and have been in orbit for more than four months. They are in good condition and have completed an in-orbit crew rotation with the Shenzhou-21 astronauts. The crew has also repaired the station’s solar panels during a spacewalk and deployed scientific payloads outside the station, Xinhua reported.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of China’s space program. Its major milestones include the launch of the country’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1; the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, which provides global services; the Chang’e lunar missions; the Tianwen-1 Mars mission; the Tiangong space station; and progress toward crewed lunar exploration.
“We will never forget those who, in deserts, mountains and on islands, have gazed at the stars and striven generation after generation for 70 years, creating the glory of China’s space program,” said Zhang, who is on his first spaceflight.
Zhu, a member of China’s third group of astronauts, is on his second spaceflight. He first travelled to space on the Shenzhou-16 mission in 2023 and is commanding a long-duration mission for the first time.
“The baton of history has been passed to us. We will do our part well and continue to safeguard and build our home in space,” he said.
