Science museum gives space education to youth

APD NEWS

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01:15

The ChinaScienceandTechnologyMuseum has teamed up with space experts to spark students' interest in thefinal frontier by opening an experience center to share knowledge about thecountry'sTiangongspace station.

The museum says it hopes to help young people understand how the space station works and foster greater interest in China's manned space program. The experience center's first event on Monday attracted spaceenthusiasts of all ages.

Students attend an event to learn about China's first space station at the China Science and Technology Museum, September 6, 2021. /CGTN

Tosatisfythestudents'curiosity, the museumeven had a replica of the Tiangong space station's core module on exhibit.

"IlearnedthatthecoremoduleofTiangongactuallyhasthreeparts. I thought it was just one," said Lang Xujun, an eight-year-old student from Yuxin School in Beijing.

Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut, along with other space experts was invited to give a speech and answer the students'questions on a range of topics. One student asked if a sunflower turns its face to the sun 16 times a day since the station orbits the Earth the same number of times. Another was curious about whether a mosquito will hit the wall if the station moves at speed.

The experts patiently responded to each question.

Taikonauts aboard the Tiangongspace station also sent their regards by video from 400 kilometers above Earth, and left some homework for their little fans. One of their assignments required students to design their own space food.

"Studyscienceandtechnologywell so one day you may embark on the journey to the oceans of stars and planets and contribute to mankind's peaceful exploration of space," said Nie Haisheng, one of the three taikonauts on the Shenzhou-12 space mission that was launched on June 17 and the first Chinese to rack up 100 days in orbit.

In 1992, China decided to launch its manned space program with a "three-step strategy." Step by step, it took China nearly 30 years to finally realize the dream of building its own long-term space station. Space officialssaytheyhope the next generation can continue to explore the universe and its wonders.