Kathmandu— On Wednesday, the three astronauts from China's Shenzhou-21 mission made their first public appearance since returning to Earth in May. The crew, consisting of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang, held a press conference in Beijing to discuss their record-breaking 210-day stay in orbit, which included extensive spacewalks and groundbreaking scientific experiments.

Record-Breaking Mission

The Shenzhou-21 mission set a new record for the longest single crew stay by Chinese astronauts. The trio spent 210 days in orbit, from their launch on October 31, 2025, to their return on May 29, 2026. During this period, they completed three spacewalks and conducted numerous scientific experiments, including the first-ever in-orbit emergency rescue operation.

Emergency Response System

Mission commander Zhang Lu highlighted the robustness of China's emergency response system during their stay. He noted that the system successfully handled various challenges such as space debris impacts and orbital schedule adjustments, ensuring the crew’s safety throughout the mission.

"The entire system operated seamlessly to ensure our safety," said Zhang Lu.

Scientific Achievements

Payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang detailed several scientific breakthroughs achieved during the mission. These included China's first successful aeroponic cultivation of cherry tomatoes and wheat in orbit, as well as the closed-loop breeding of mice in space. The crew also cultivated over ten types of crops to refine in-orbit planting techniques.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.