At the time of family reunion, in the China Space Station, which is 400 kilometers away from the Earth, the space travel trio has been in orbit for three and a half months. They are the longest astronaut crew in China so far and the first crew to spend the Spring Festival in space.
How did the astronauts spend their time in space on New Year’s Eve? What preparations have the ground technicians made for the astronauts’ Spring Festival holiday? On the day of New Year’s Eve, reporters from the General Station came to Beijing Aerospace City to record the first China Year of China Space Station.
On New Year’s Eve, in the long-term management hall of beijing aerospace control center, Fu Xiaohong, the supervisor on duty, found that some data were abnormal when comparing the orbital height data of the space station. After communicating with orbit experts, it is confirmed that the fluctuation of this data belongs to the normal range.
Beijing aerospace control center engineer Fu Xiaohong:The first is to monitor the state of our spacecraft and the state of our astronauts. For example, if we calculate from the orbit budget that we may be relatively close to another satellite or space debris at a certain moment, we need to do some evasive control. Astronauts explore space in the sky, and our ground personnel will escort the astronauts.
If the China Space Station is compared to a kite, then Fu Xiaohong and her team are the matchmakers of kites. In 2021, Fu Xiaohong was in charge of the long-term management and operation of the space station complex. At the end of the year, she took the initiative to apply for duty to spend the first space Spring Festival with astronauts.
Beijing aerospace control center engineer Fu Xiaohong:During the Spring Festival, in order to ensure that astronauts can communicate with their families by telephone, or need to watch the video programs of the Spring Festival Evening, we have increased the up-and-down arcs during the Spring Festival by more than 40 time periods, increasing their time for entertainment activities and communication with their families.
While the ground flight controllers were escorting the space station, the three astronauts in the space station began to get busy: writing blessings and posting Spring Festival couplets. After dressing up the space station, astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu began to get a haircut. When astronaut Ye Guangfu got a haircut for commander Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping also recorded precious images with a professional camera. The astronauts were full of feelings at the first Spring Festival ceremony on the space station.
Li Dafei, Deputy Director of beijing aerospace control center Manned Space Flight Control Room:When I saw a group of astronauts showing off our China style in space, I felt that all those hardships and tiredness were worthwhile and nothing.
From April 29th, 2021, when the core module was launched into orbit to the day of New Year’s Eve, the space station assembly has been safely in orbit for 277 days. At present, beijing aerospace control center cooperates with the astronaut center, the space station system and other parties through the distributed operation and control mode to implement various operation and control work for the space station.
Han Haiying, chief designer of thermal control subsystem of space station:We have more than 4,000 data. We should not only keep an eye on the data, but also draw its curve at any time to keep an eye on its changing trend. Our subsystem has always performed very well, and the whole system works very stably. Basically, everything including temperature is very consistent with what we designed at that time, including building on the ground.
In the afternoon, it was the time for astronauts to have a video call with their relatives. The new hairstyle was matched with new clothes, and the sense of ceremony for the New Year was directly filled. The astronauts shared the bits and pieces of space life with their families through two-way video to convey their thoughts. Ye Guangfu also put on a festive red Tang suit and interacted with his family happily. In the astronaut support hall, the ground support team on New Year’s Eve was formed by the post personnel such as Dawning Commander, Dawning General, Dawning Doctor and Environmental Control Life Insurance.
Xu Chong, Director of Medical Supervision and Medical Insurance Office of China Astronaut Center:Now (New Year’s Eve) they have been in orbit for 108 days, and the whole physical and mental condition is very good. Then, we will do every job carefully, carefully and solidly, and ensure that our space crew in the sky can complete the entire Shenzhou-13 mission safely, smoothly, healthily and successfully.
Wang Yanlei, Director of Training Room of China Astronaut Center:As the dawn conductor, we are also teachers’ posts. On this day, the teachers’ post should observe the astronauts’ on-orbit operation. If there are any problems encountered, or what problems astronauts encounter, we should provide corresponding operational support. Of course, there is no support so far today, because the astronauts have been in space for so many days, and they are very adaptable, and they are more skilled in all their work.
Wang Yanlei, the commander of Shuguang, is the command post of the first extravehicular mission in the space station stage. During the 17 years since he came to work in the Astronaut Center, he has been engaged in the selection and training of astronauts, and he is as close as family with astronauts. This New Year’s Eve, he specially arranged duty for himself.
Reporter:A little selfish, right?
Wang Yanlei, Director of Training Room of China Astronaut Center:Yeah, a little selfish. Although I didn’t spend the day with my family, I think it’s a great expectation to spend the New Year with the astronauts and watch them happily spend the year in space.
As night falls and the lights are on, the astronauts begin to prepare for the New Year’s Eve. Astronauts share delicious food with each other, jiaozi flutters, the soup is tangy, and the New Year’s Eve dinner in weightless space is wonderful and joyful.
At 7: 30 pm, the Chinese space station transited over the motherland. The reporter recorded the image of the space station flying over Beijing Aerospace City with a lens, and the astronauts also photographed the brightly lit New Year’s Eve from space.
Wang Yaping, astronaut of Shenzhou XIII:It’s 7: 30 pm, and our space station is passing over the motherland. Let’s follow the camera and see the land of China on New Year’s Eve. This is our first time to see China on New Year’s Eve from the perspective of space. The city lights are as beautiful as flames.
Watching the Spring Festival Gala on New Year’s Eve, astronauts drank juice, chose the most comfortable posture, enjoyed the cultural feast, and picked up their mobile phones to get in tune with the Spring Festival Gala on a whim. At this time, in the astronaut support hall on the ground, the support team is making follow-up work arrangements for astronauts.
Wang Yanlei, Director of Training Room of China Astronaut Center:We will organize astronauts to watch the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. There are many holiday items in the articles for space flight, including some entertainment items, and they can control the time by themselves.
Guodong Zhou, Assistant Researcher of China Astronaut Center:Our job is to ensure a safe living environment for space flight. We have a slogan called "Astronauts are in my heart, and the safety of astronauts is in my hands", so our work can’t be sloppy.
Shi Qingyu, Dispatcher of Flight Control Test Team of China Astronaut Center:During the more than three months we spent on the ground with astronauts, we also formed an emotion that family members are not better than relatives. I feel that our efforts and dedication can make their on-track life and work go on more smoothly, and everything we do is worthwhile.
