Space-traveling national flags of Pakistan, Namibia brought back by Shenzhou-12 return capsule
Photo: Li Hao/GT
After concluding a spectacular Shenzhou-12 manned mission, China on Monday delivered the national flags of Pakistan and Namibia that were carried to China's space station onboard the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft to country representatives at a ceremony held in Beijing. Seeds, scientific payloads, and other experimental materials that traveled on a three-month tour in space with the craft were also presented at the ceremony.
Photo: Li Hao/GT
At the event, the Shenzhou-12 return capsule was officially opened for the first time after it safely landed at the designated Dongfeng landing site in the Gobi Desert, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on September 17, bringing back three taikonauts after their record-long stay in space in a single flight mission of 90 days.In addition to the national flags of Pakistan and Namibia, experimental items for science education as well as crop seeds were also carried to space onboard the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft. They were delivered to relevant departments for further research and study.
Photo: Li Hao/GT
Since the establishment of China's manned space project, China has always upheld the principle of open and peaceful development of space, and has attached great importance to international collaboration in the field, space authorities said at the event.
From the very beginning of the Shenzhou series, each mission has included projects of scientific value or of social interest, which helps the progress of science, agricultural development and industrial upgrading, officials said.
Photo: Li Hao/GT
The Shenzhou-12 mission has brought more than 10 project payloads to space this time, as well as the payload for celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.Hao Chun, director of the China Manned Space Agency, and Yang Liwei, the country's first astronaut and director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, attended the event on Monday.
