Nearly 80 days into their journey, Shenzhou-21’s crew—commander Zhang Lu and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang—are in top shape and diving deep into science aboard China’s space station 🚀.
Robotics zone: They’ve been hanging out with “Xiaohang,” the station’s intelligent robot. From touch-based games to autonomous flight tests, the data they’re collecting will help fine-tune Xiaohang’s moves in microgravity 🤖✨.
Health check: Using a space-based Raman spectrometer (think of it as a high-tech flashlight that identifies chemicals), they’ve analyzed urine samples to track metabolic markers. Saliva samples are also on deck to study how microbes behave up there—insights that’ll come in handy for future long-duration missions 🧪🔬.
Origin of life vibes: The crew wrapped up a fascinating project on the genetic code’s chirality (aka “handedness” of molecules). By examining how amino acids and nucleosides pair up in space, scientists hope to unlock clues about life’s building blocks in the cosmos 🌌🧬.
Power up: In the microgravity physics lab, they ran electrochemical and optical tests on lithium-ion batteries—vital for powering future spacecraft and habitats 🔋💡.
Hands-on ops: Sample covers were swapped in the combustion science cabinet, modules got a teardown-and-rebuild sesh, and fluid physics experiments got fresh samples—a full-on science makeover 🔄.
Emergency ready: A station-wide depressurization drill kept their emergency-response skills sharp, proving that ground-to-space coordination is on point 🛡️🚨.
And because life in orbit needs balance, medical checks (yes, even hearing tests) and regular runs on the treadmill kept their minds and bodies in check 🏃♂️❤️.
As day 80 passes, these orbiting scientists are showing us that space is not just about floating—it’s a high-tech lab with endless possibilities. Stay tuned for more cosmic updates! 🌟
Reference(s):
Shenzhou-21 crew continues with science experiments, life in orbit
cgtn.com
