On the afternoon of April 24, less than three hours before the scheduled launch of the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft, thousands of people from all walks of life gathered at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to bid farewell to astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie. The square was alive with vibrant flowers, waving five-starred red flags, and the stirring melody of "Ode to the Motherland" echoing across the desert oasis.
Among those present were elderly individuals who had participated in the launch of "Dongfanghong-1," China's first artificial satellite, exactly 55 years ago. Also in attendance were children from the Aerospace City School. With the bright spring sunshine illuminating the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, smiles abounded as the crowd eagerly awaited the departure of the Shenzhou-20 heroes.
At 2:26 p.m., Xu Xueqiang, the Commander-in-Chief of China's manned space program and Head of Space Station Application and Development Phase Mission Headquarters, issued the "departure" command. Astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie officially set out on their mission on this China's 10th Space Day.
At precisely 5:17 p.m., the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft is scheduled to ignite its engines and lift off, marking the beginning of a six-month mission to the Tiangong space station.
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