Editor's Note:
Since astronaut Yang Liwei successfully completed China's first manned spaceflight mission in 2003, the past 15 years have seen a total of 11 Chinese astronauts going up in six manned missions, orbiting the Earth 1,089 times, traveling more than 46 million kilometers, and completing more than 100 space science experiments. (Photos: 81.cn/Xinhua/plapic.com.cn)
Astronaut Yang Liwei, who was the astronaut sent on China's first manned spaceflight mission, waves before boarding the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft on October 15, 2003. (Photo: Xinhua) 
Astronauts Fei Junlong (left) and Nie Haisheng wave before boarding the Shenzhou-6 spacecraft to conduct China's second manned spaceflight mission on October 12, 2005. (Photo: plapic.com.cn) 
The Shenzhou-7 spacecraft landed back on Earth successfully and its astronauts, Zhai Zhigang (left), Liu Boming (center), Jing Haipeng, were extracted from the ship on September 28, 2008. (Photo: Xinhua) 
Astronauts Jing Haipeng (right), Liu Wang (center) and Liu Yang wave during a departure ceremony on June 16, 2012, before boarding the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft to conduct China's fourth manned spaceflight mission. (Photo: Xinhua) 
The Shenzhou-10 spacecraft astronauts, Zhang Xiaoguang (left), Nie Haisheng (center) and Wang Yaping, were given flowers after leaving the cabin and completing China's fifth manned spaceflight mission on June 26, 2013. (Photo: plapic.com.cn) 
Astronauts Chen Dong (left) and Jing Haipeng wave during a departure ceremony on October 17, 2016, before boarding the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft to conduct China's sixth manned spaceflight mission. (Photo: Xinhua)
