On the afternoon of July 5, 2024, the Shenzhou 17 astronaut crew Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin officially met with the media and the public at the China Astronaut Center two months after returning from space.
According to reports, the Shenzhou 17 crew has completed various tasks in the isolation and recovery, recuperation and recovery stages after returning, and has fully entered the recovery and observation stage. At present, under the careful protection and care of the scientific research support team of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, the crew of Shenzhou 17 is in good physical and mental condition, their weight is stable at the pre-flight level, the results of various medical examinations are normal, and their muscle strength, endurance and cardiopulmonary fitness are normal. Functionality is basically restored to pre-flight levels. After completing various tasks during the recovery period and conducting a recovery health assessment and summary, the three astronauts will transition to normal training.
The astronaut crew of Shenzhou 17 shared their experiences and understandings of the space residency stage at the scene.
Commander Tang Hongbo was once a member of the first batch of astronauts to carry out the space station phase mission, and experienced the historic moment when "the Chinese entered their own space station for the first time". Two years later, he became the first person to return to the "Tiangong". He is also China's astronaut with the shortest interval between two missions and the longest time in orbit. Tang Hongbo said firmly: "No matter how long or short the flight time is, it is necessary for the mission. In the future, we must continue to strengthen our studies, persist in training, and strive to fly more and make more contributions."
Tang Hongbo led the crew Conducted two extravehicular activities to repair the solar wing that was damaged by space debris. After two extravehicular maintenances, the solar wing power generation performance is in normal condition. This is the first maintenance mission for extravehicular facilities of an orbiting spacecraft completed by my country, which provides a strong guarantee for the long-term safety and stability of the space station.
When Tang Hongbo recalled the extravehicular activities, he humorously compared them to "staying up all day and going out at night, patrolling and waiting during the day, and coming out to work at night." This is because the solar wing will generate electric current when exposed to sunlight, which affects the safety of astronauts' operations. Astronauts can only perform maintenance operations in the shadow area, and conduct inspections and take photos in the sunlit area.
Astronaut Tang Shengjie is currently the youngest astronaut on a space station mission. He made his first space journey at the age of less than 34.
"My first space flight mission made me feel fulfilled, happy, and at the same time full of challenges." Tang Shengjie said, "I have successfully completed the set mission, and I feel a sense of accomplishment."
"Space Vegetable Garden" Various vegetable varieties such as lettuce and cherry tomatoes are grown. Under their careful care, these vegetables are growing beautifully. "For example, wrapping lettuce seeds with a special material not only makes the small seeds larger and easier to pick up, but also does not affect the germination and germination of the seeds. At the same time, we will often take pictures and record the growth of the vegetable garden. We also communicated with the ground in a timely manner to adjust the amount of water and light." Tang Shengjie shared his experience in growing vegetables in space.
Astronaut Jiang Xinlin once drove a tank and a fighter jet, and now he has driven a spaceship into space. Netizens said that he changed from "Shuke" to "Beta" and then to an astronaut. Jiang Xinlin talked about his experience in carefully preparing for the first spacecraft mission. The two teammates imparted their spacecraft experience without reservation and provided step-by-step guidance. The ground staff also cooperated with them in repeated on-orbit drills. "Only when you are well prepared can you do it clearly. After solid training, I felt very calm on the day of departure."
The crew of Shenzhou 17 stayed on the Chinese Space Station for 187 days, setting a new record for the crew's time in orbit. , called “the longest space mission crew” by netizens. Jiang Xinlin reviewed how they dealt with the psychological challenges brought about by their mid- to long-term stay: "A long-term boring and closed space life, especially in the middle period, will occasionally make you feel irritable and unbearable." But the commanding officer Changtang with flight experience Hong Bo always actively creates a lively and relaxed living atmosphere for them. When he finds out that they are not in a high mood, he cheers everyone up: "I have a weekly video call with my family, calls to colleagues and relatives, and round-the-clock support from the ground team. Support and companionship make us feel that we are not alone.” (according to the official Weibo of the Eastern Theater Command)
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