Shenzhou duo proud of success
Print Edition
THE two astronauts who manned China’s Shenzhou-11 mission met the press yesterday after almost three weeks in quarantine.
Jing Haipeng, 50, commander of the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft, and Chen Dong, 38, appeared in good spirits and shared their experiences.
“Today, we fulfilled our commitment to (making the Shenzhou-11 mission a complete success),” Jing said.
Launched on October 17, Shenzhou-11 docked two days later with China’s first space lab, Tiangong-2, where the two astronauts lived for 30 days, the longest time a taikonaut has spent in space. After returning on November 18, the two astronauts were quarantined to help them readapt to life on Earth.
It was the third mission for Jing, who also participated in the Shenzhou-7 and Shenzhou-9 missions.
“Compared with previous missions, I really enjoyed and experienced weightlessness during this mission as a result of the improved technology and working environment,” he said.
The two were able to watch television programs and enjoy delicious meals.
“Listening to music and watching TV made us feel good when we ate,” Jing said.
It was Chen’s first space mission. He said that at first, he needed restraining devices for every step, but he gradually adapted to zero gravity.
“I began to enjoy the zero gravity environment and learned new moves such as somersaulting and whirling in space,” Chen said.
Jing said: “I would give Chen a mark of 100 out of 100.”
According to Huang Weifen, deputy chief designer of the astronaut system with the Astronaut Center of China, the astronauts’ health checks met expectations, although they will continue to be observed.
The Shenzhou-11 mission is part of China’s ambitious plan to build a permanent manned space station.
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