Students from 20 schools in 13 states submitted questions to the Chinese astronauts – Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu – aboard the Tiangong space station. Their pre-recorded responses were shared with students, parents, and teachers at the "My questions to Taikonauts" event on April 9 hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- CGTN America releases Chinese Astronauts, American Students: "Citizens of the Earth"
For more than 300 American students, a China-sponsored event took their science studies to a whole different level – hundreds of kilometers above the Earth. Chinese astronauts in space, hosting American students on earth – bound by a mutual passion for science.
Students from 20 schools in 13 states submitted questions to the Chinese astronauts – Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu – aboard the Tiangong space station. Their pre-recorded responses were shared with students, parents, and teachers at the "My questions to Taikonauts" event on April 9 hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC. Some guests attended in person, others by Zoom. The Chinese call their astronauts, "Taikonauts," a portmanteau that combines the Mandarin word for "outer space" and the Greek word for "sailors."
Asking her question in Mandarin, Utah Elementary school student, Skyla Winters, asked where water came from in space? Taikonaut Ye explained all water in space comes from Earth, and is recycled from perspiration, urine, and water particles that they exhale.
"Can you jump very high," asked Hawaii student Ayhan Ulusemre? Taikonaut Wang answered that question with her whole body. She floated up silently to the station's ceiling, and then back down, explaining: "In a weightless environment … I can jump as high as possible."
It was a people-to-people exchange that stretched from Earth to the high frontier. On this day, in the "sunlit silence" of space there was no gravity or politics – only friendship.
When Vermont student, Michael Blaisdell, asked in English whether the taikonauts thought about growing bacteria on the moon or Mars? Taikonaut Ye said: "We look forward to exploring the unknown on the moon and Mars … and building a beautiful home in outer space together."
The word "together" appeared to resonate with attendees. Elon Musk, founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer at SpaceX also used the word in a prerecorded video. "I look forward to humanity working together to form a self-sustaining civilization on Mars and other planets, he said.
Capturing the spirit of the event, Qin Gang, the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., told the gathering: "You say you are American. We say we are Chinese, but we are all citizens of the earth."
Taikonauts Zhai, Wang and Ye rocketed into orbit aboard the Shenzhou XIII spacecraft in October 2021. They will soon end their six-month sojourn – China's longest-ever manned mission in space.
Click here to read more about "Chinese Astronauts, American Students: "Citizens of the Earth" https://newsus.cgtn.com/news/2022-04-10/American-children-send-questions-to-taikonauts-196sIvk16mY/index.html
(This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.)
Media Contact
Zeng Siwei, CGTN America, 1 202-393-1850, [email protected]
SOURCE CGTN America
Share this article