Shenzhou XXI crew showcases children's art in orbit

China's Shenzhou XXI crew aboard the Tiangong space station carried out an artistic activity on Wednesday, showcasing paintings by children and young people from across the country.

In a video recorded inside the orbital station and released by the China Manned Space Agency, the astronauts — mission commander Senior Colonel Zhang Lu, spaceflight engineer Major Wu Fei and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang — presented 80 paintings selected from the fifth Tiangong Gallery event.

The works were printed on two scrolls and displayed along the interior walls of the station.

The paintings were chosen by artists, space officials and experts from more than 15,000 submissions by children and young people from the Chinese mainland as well as the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

They span a wide range of themes, portraying prominent Chinese scientists, athletes, medical workers, emergency responders, archaeologists, engineers and astronauts, and highlighting their dedication to the country.

The Tiangong Gallery was launched in 2021 by the office of the national working committee of the Young Pioneers of China, the publicity office of the CMSA and the China Space Foundation.

It aims to promote patriotism, popularize space knowledge and inspire students to pursue their dreams.

Paintings from the previous four events have also been sent to the space station and presented by astronauts.

On the ground, a ceremony was held at the Capital Museum in Beijing on Wednesday, attended by dozens of students, to mark the opening of a Tiangong Gallery exhibition. Works from all five editions are on display and the exhibition will run through May 24.

The Shenzhou XXI crew is carrying out China's 16th crewed spaceflight mission and is the 10th group of astronauts to live aboard Tiangong, currently the only operational space station independently run by a single nation.

The three astronauts have been in orbit for more than five months since arriving on Nov 1.