Shenzhou-17 astronauts meet press after returning from space

BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) — The three astronauts of China’s Shenzhou-17 manned mission met the press on Friday, their first public appearance since returning from space two months ago.

The three crew members, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, are in good physical and mental health. Their muscle strength, endurance and cardiopulmonary function have returned to pre-flight levels.

China launched the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft on October 26, 2023. The trio returned to Earth on April 30 this year after spending a record 187 days in orbit, surpassing the duration of previous crews.

During the mission, the three astronauts conducted 84 space application experiments and tests in orbit and produced more than 200 samples covering multiple fields.

The mission marked crew commander Tang Hongbo’s second trip to the space station, making him the Chinese astronaut with the longest spaceflight time.

“I am honored to witness and participate in the remarkable achievements of China’s manned spaceflight,” he said at the press conference held at the China Astronaut Center in Beijing.

Tang Shengjie, the youngest astronaut to enter China’s space station, celebrated his 34th birthday on his first space flight. He said he will undergo further training and strive to return to space soon.

The trio conducted two spacewalks and completed China’s first extravehicular maintenance mission. Jiang Xinlin reported on the extravehicular activities to the press, noting that the process went smoothly thanks to extensive training beforehand.

According to the center, they will resume regular training after successfully completing all health and wellness assessments. ■