Shenzhou-18 Astronaut Shares Fun Surprises in Space | China Space Station
During their time in space between April 25 and November 4, 2024, the Shenzhou-18 crew was from time to time treated to unexpected gifts aboard China's Tiangong Space Station, adding fun and excitement to their six-month mission in orbit, according to astronaut Li Cong, one of the Shenzhou-18 trio.
The three astronauts from the Shenzhou-18 crewed mission—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu—met the press and public on January 8, 2025, more than 60 days after returning to the Earth.
In a recent interview, Li Cong recalled the playful moments of space life, particularly the excitement of hunting for surprise packages and unboxing them with his fellow astronauts.
These gifts were carefully prepared by the support team of the Astronaut Center of China (ACC) to bring more surprises and fun moments to the astronauts' time in space.
"Before the spacecraft was loaded, the surprise boxes were hidden in various concealed corners of the cargo ship. We couldn't always find them when moving the supplies. But whenever it was the start of a new month, a major holiday, or someone's birthday, we would be told to search for surprises. It's like a treasure hunt. Once we found them, we would gather and open the boxes together," the astronaut said.
Li Cong also mentioned that the boxes contained a variety of items, including birthday gifts like longevity noodles, specially prepared for the astronaut celebrating his birthday.
After savoring the surprise treats, the astronauts would rate the food.
"At the start of each month, we would receive the most popular foods, those rated highly by the previous crew, like beef sauce. Whatever tastes good, we score it highly, and the next crew will get it as a surprise," he added.
Shenzhou-18's return capsule, carrying the three astronauts, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on November 4, 2024, after completing its six-month space station mission.
Prior to the end of the Shenzhou-18 mission, China launched into space the Shenzhou-19 mission on October 30, 2024 also for a six-month stay on the Tiangong Space Station.
Shenzhou-18 Crew:
Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)
Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)
Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)
Duration: 1 minute, 17 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 9, 2025
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