Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, Zhang Hongzhang Celebrate Chinese New Year in Space!
Despite circling the Earth 400 kilometers up, the three taikonauts are taking part in the festivities too.
February 17th marks the Chinese New Year, being the first day of the Year of the Horse, while a few days into the eight-day Spring Festival (春节). With the holiday, Zhang Lu (张陆)1, Wu Fei (武飞)2, and Zhang Hongzhang (张洪章)3 are taking part in the festivities onboard the Tiangong Space Station in Earth orbit!
As part of that, the three taikonauts prepared a hefty feast of various delicacies. Their festive meal included dumplings, braised pork knuckle, dried bamboo shoots with pork, spiced beef, and char siu pork, with a side of ice cream and apples. Green tea, black tea, and milk tea were had alongside the food.
In addition, the space station’s hot air oven (also known as an air fryer) baked a batch of cakes for the crew to enjoy. Last time the oven was shown off it allowed for a barbecue.
After their feast, the Shenzhou-21 crew has two days to relax in orbit. They took the opportunity to participate in various fun activities between themselves and their families on Earth, including microgravity karaoke.
During their celebrations, Zhang, Wu, and Zhang recorded a message for the Chinese New Year, which is transcribed below:
“Heaven bestows blessings upon the space station, the jade horse rides the wind through the long moonlit night.”
“Hello everyone, I’m Zhang Lu, commander of Shenzhou-21. This marks my second Chinese New Year celebration in space, bringing both a newfound sense of composure and deep affection. We’ve adorned the station with festive decorations and auspicious characters, filling it with vibrant red and a strong sense of unity. Gazing through the window at the twinkling lights across our homeland, I feel profound nostalgia and pride. As the Spring Festival approaches, I wish you all smooth journeys and peace throughout the year.”
“Spring time brings beauty to the land, mountains and rivers; the moon shines brightly in the vast sky.”
“Hello everyone, I’m Wu Fei, taikonaut aboard Shenzhou-21. Celebrating the Chinese New Year in space for the first time feels both novel and profoundly proud. Recently, we successfully completed cabin preparation and cleaning tasks, taking each step with steady determination. In this Year of the Horse, let us embrace the spirit of galloping steeds, continuing to strive for our dreams and work hard for happiness. I wish all dream chasers a peaceful and prosperous year ahead, with each day growing brighter and more vibrant.”
“Golden horses and silver springs paint a splendid scene, the first year of the new year dawns in the vast universe.”
“Hello everyone, I’m Zhang Hongzhang, a taikonaut on Shenzhou-21. Spending the Spring Festival in space is the most precious experience for me. Currently, various experiments on the space station are progressing steadily, and many advancements are gratifying. In the new year, we will continue our exploration and research, writing a new chapter in the vast universe. We also wish our motherland scientific prosperity and its people good health, may every effort be rewarded.”
“From aboard China’s space station, we wish everyone a prosperous Year of the Horse, happiness for everyone, and joy and well-being for all!”
If there are any problems with this translation please reach out and correct me.
Zhang Lu is the Commander and Pilot of the mission for his second spaceflight, having flown for the Shenzhou-15 mission between November 2022 and June 2023. He is from Hanshou County (汉寿县), Hunan (湖南) province, and was selected as part of China’s second taikonaut group in 2010, also being considered a ‘post-70s’ taikonaut having been born in November 1976.
Before becoming a taikonaut, Zhang served in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and achieved the rank of Senior Colonel. He also joined the Communist Party of China in April 1999. After the Shenzhou-15 mission, Zhang was awarded the Spaceflight Merit Medal (Third Class) along with the honorary title of hero taikonaut.
Wu Fei is the Flight Engineer for this mission, which will be his first trip into space. He is from Baotou (包头市 / ᠪᠤᠭᠤᠲᠤᠬᠣᠲᠠ), in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区 / ᠥᠪᠥᠷ ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠨ ᠤᠨᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠭᠨ ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ ᠣᠷᠣᠨ), and was selected as part of the third taikonaut group in October 2020, while being considered a ‘post-90s’ taikonaut having been born in 1993.
Before his selection as a taikonaut, Wu was an engineer at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. He also joined the Communist Party of China in 2015.
Zhang Hongzhang is the Payload Expert for this mission, with it being his first trip to space. He is from Binzhou (滨州市), Shandong (山东) province, and was also selected as part of the third taikonaut group in October 2020, while being considered a ‘post-80s’ taikonaut having been born in 1986.
Prior to being selected as a taikonaut, Zhang was a researcher at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院大连化学物理研究所), where he explored new materials and technology for batteries. He also joined the Communist Party of China in 2004.