The Shenzhou-18 crew members on board China's orbiting space station Tiangong captured stunning views of their hometowns from space, offering viewers a unique perspective of the nation's diverse landscapes.
On April 25, China launched the Shenzhou 18 manned spacecraft, sending three astronauts into the space station for a six-month mission, with a planned return to the Earth later this month.
Among them is Ye Guangfu from Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan in southwest China, a region often referred to as the "Land of Abundance" and the region's hub for economic, cultural and technological development.
"Hello everyone, I'm astronaut Ye Guangfu. Today, I invite you to join me in taking a look at my beautiful hometown. In the left foreground of my camera, you can see the Dujiangyan Irrigation System on the Minjiang River, located in the western part of the Chengdu Plain. This monumental water conservancy project, characterized by its dam-free water diversion, has a history of over 2,200 years. It continues to provide comprehensive benefits for flood control, irrigation, water transport, and domestic water supply up to the present. I sincerely invite everyone to come and visit my hometown," he said.
Fellow astronaut Li Cong, from Handan City of north China's Hebei Province, shared his perspective as well.
"I'm astronaut Li Cong. The Chinese space station is currently passing over northwestern China, where the winding Yellow River flows through the Loess Plateau, meandering through the Great Yellow River Bend Plain before heading east. The land gradually turns brown, revealing the vast Hebei Plain, where my hometown lies to the south and east of the Taihang Mountains," he said.
Li Guangsu, from Peixian County of Xuzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province, also reflected on his hometown's connection to major waterways.
"Today, I'd like to show you my hometown. From space, you can see the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and how the Hanzhuang Canal and other river systems connect the Luoma Lake, the Hongze Lake, the Gaoyou Lake, and the Huaihe River. East of the Hongze Lake, the waterway flowing to the Yellow Sea is the Huaihe River estuary, stretching over 160 kilometers. Two years ago, construction began on the second phase of the Huaihe River estuary project, which aims to widen and deepen this waterway. As development continues, the dream of a peaceful Huaihe River Basin is gradually becoming a reality," he said.
Chinese astronauts capture stunning views of hometowns from space
