Shenzhou XX astronauts extend Children's Day greetings from China's space station

BEIJING -- In celebration of International Children's Day, which falls on June 1, the Shenzhou XX crew aboard China's space station has sent holiday greetings to children across the nation.

As the ninth national congress of the Chinese Young Pioneers (CYP), a national organization for children, opened Tuesday in Beijing, the crew congratulated children across the country on their grand gathering, unfurling a CYP flag that they brought to the space station.

The three-member crew, commanded by veteran astronaut Chen Dong, was launched into orbit on April 24 for a six-month mission.

Chen Dong reflected on his childhood dreams, which were sparked by wearing the CYP red scarf. "I remember deciding to become someone useful to society when I first wore it," said Chen, a three-time space traveler.

Rookie astronauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, both on their maiden spaceflight, shared how youthful curiosity about the cosmos propelled them into their careers.

Chen Zhongrui, who executed his first extravehicular activity on May 22, reminisced about watching Shenzhou spacecraft launches on television as a child, a passion that spurred his aspirations.

Wang mentioned the CYP anthem, a song that filled him with strength during his childhood. He noted that it guides generations of Chinese Young Pioneers to inherit the glorious traditions of forebears, hoping that the children will carry on the mission of exploring space.

Since entering orbit, the Shenzhou XX crew has successfully completed the in-orbit handover with the Shenzhou-19 crew and conducted space scientific experiments as planned.

On May 22, they accomplished their first extravehicular activity, setting a record for the shortest interval between an astronaut crew entering orbit and conducting their first spacewalk after the completion of the space station.