It's been more than two weeks since Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong completed their Shenzhou-11 space mission. So what have they been doing since their return? They made their first public appearance on Wednesday to talk about their experience in the Tiangong-2 spacelab.
It's been a long wait to hear from China's latest space heroes.After a three-week quarantine period following their return to earth, they came out to tell us all we wanted to know
The two astronauts spent a total of 33 days in space, a record for the Chinese space program.They also conducted more than 40 experiments while in orbit. Both are now in good condition after rounds of physical therapy and exercise.
"I felt the journey into space this time was quite safe and had reliable technical support. The rocket, the spacecraft and the Tiangong-2 space lab, and even our clothes, our training management and our diets had been improved. We had a very good menu during our 33-day journey," said Jing Haipeng.
In completing his third space mission, Jing has become the most experienced Chinese astronaut ever. He said it was a special feeling to celebrate his 50th birthday in space.
But he also had high praise for his much younger colleague, Chen Dong, who was on his maiden mission. Chen said he had many unforgettable moments, including raising silkworms and watching them spin cocoons.
"It was the first time I experienced movement in space, I felt my body was as light as a feather, I was also excited to see the amazing sunsets and sunrises, they were really beautiful. I am quite happy to see that the lettuce seeds we cultivated in space have sproutted and grown up," said Chen.
Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong's 33-day journey is so far the longest stay in space by Chinese astronauts. With the completion of the Shenzou 11 mission, China has made a significant step towards establishing its first space station, a project that is expected to be realized in 2022.
