At 20:59 on April 25, 2024, the Shenzhou-18 manned spacecraft soared into the sky at the Dongfeng Space City located in the Ejina Banner of the Alxa League in Inner Mongolia, and at 17:46 on April 30, the return capsule of the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft landed safely at the Dongfeng landing site in the Ejina Banner of Inner Mongolia.
Shenzhou-17 astronaut Tang Hongbo exited the capsule safely and smoothly.
Shenzhou-17 astronaut Tang Shengjie exited the capsule safely and smoothly.
Shenzhou-17 astronaut Jiang Xinlin exited the capsule safely and smoothly.
The take-off and landing of Shenzhou is my hometown, which is the indissoluble bond between Inner Mongolia and China's aerospace industry, and it is also the supreme glorious responsibility entrusted to Inner Mongolia by the great motherland. From the successful launch of the "Shenzhou-1" to the safe landing of the "Shen-17", Inner Mongolia has built a warm "home port" for the Shenzhou spacecraft and aerospace heroes again and again, and has also witnessed the sonorous pace of China's aerospace industry from big to strong.
Looking back at history, the moving story of "the best pasture for aerospace" in Ejina Banner in Inner Mongolia has been sung for a long time.
In March 1958, the central government officially approved the construction of a missile test range in Ejinaqi, Inner Mongolia. In order to support the national defense construction of the motherland, the Ejina Banner organs, farmers and herdsmen have been relocated one after another, and more than 1,100 herdsmen from 260 households and more than 70,000 livestock have moved from the pastures where they have lived for generations and have abundant water and grass to the lower reaches of the Heihe River. In the following 10 years, the relocated herders went through several rounds before they found a suitable place to live. This is a great feat of relocation in the history of the mainland's national defense construction.
"According to the instructions of the Party Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, the Inner Mongolia Party Committee made a decision on May 12, 1958: Ejina Banner (where the flag is located) was moved 140 kilometers north to support national defense construction. "As the years go by, the words inscribed on the monument to the Qingshantou of the Ejina Banner tell the history of that period.
Since then, the "heavy weapon of a great power" has been fixed in the desert Gobi. More than half a century has passed, and in the "cradle" vacated by Ejina Banner for the Republic in those years, the dream of "two bombs and one satellite" and the dream of aerospace have been realized. Today's Dongfeng Space City, with its brilliant achievements, ranks among the world's famous space cities and launch sites, and has created many firsts in the history of mainland space launches: the first missile nuclear weapons test, the first artificial satellite, the first re-entry satellite, the first long-range carrier rocket, and the first manned spacecraft......
On April 24, 2024, the theme activity of "Red Scarf Loves the Motherland - Five-Star Red Flag in My Heart" was held at the place where the Dongfanghong Satellite was raised.
Local herders are also quietly contributing to the aerospace industry.
Saihan Taolai Sumu Menggetu Gacha herdsman Wei Qi Legeqi said to our camera: "As a native of Inner Mongolia, I am sincerely proud to witness the manned spacecraft take off from here and the return capsule land from here again and again. Our motherland is so big, the Shenzhou return capsule fell on our family's grassland, and it fell 5 times, and our whole family was very happy. The return capsule of Shenzhou 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17 all landed on the grassland of Weiqilegqi's house, and the spacecraft recovery convoy passed through his family's grassland again and again, and he never complained about it.
Wei Qilegqi took a group photo with the return capsule of the Shenzhou 17 spacecraft, and the return capsule of the Shenzhou spacecraft landed on the grassland of his house for the fifth time.
Not only Weiqi Legqi, but also the pride and glory of "Shenzhou take-off and landing is my hometown" has become the aerospace imprint of the exclusive Inner Mongolian people. The people who live here, in their own way, add luster to the "space dream".
In order to ensure the successful landing of the Shenzhou spacecraft, Ejinaqi set up 11 military-civilian joint search and rescue teams composed of public security, militia, retired soldiers, and farmers and herdsmen to assist in the search and rescue work of the Shenzhou spacecraft's return capsule.
The police of the Ejina Border Management Brigade of the Alxa Border Management Detachment are responsible for the perimeter security at the Dongfeng landing site.
In this hot land where Shenzhou took off and landed, the spirit of manned space flight of "being able to endure hardships, fight, tackle key problems, and make contributions" has taken deep root.
In September 2023, in the Ejinaqi branch of the "Tiangong Classroom", local students participated in the "Tiangong Classroom" course through live broadcast in the yurt and had a "dialogue between heaven and earth" with astronauts. Now, "Tiangong Classroom" has become a must-listen class for Alxa students.
On April 24, 2024, the 9th China Space Day, Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China's manned space project and aerospace hero, told the Young Pioneers about the process of manned missions at the place where the Dongfanghong satellite was raised.
From April 24 to 26, 2024, 266 young pioneers from the Alxa League came to Dongfeng Space City to watch the launch of the Shenzhou-18 manned spacecraft, and visited the Dongfeng Space City Historical Exhibition Hall, Dongfanghong Satellite Launch Site, and the former site of Baori Wula, so as to experience the development of China's aerospace science and technology and experience the aerospace culture up close. Yi Yujie, a student of Alxa Zuoqi No. 6 Primary School, said: "Seeing the successful launch of the 'Shen 18' on the spot has strengthened my determination to learn science and explore the unknown world. I hope that one day I will be able to make my own contribution to the motherland's aerospace industry like astronauts. ”
The seeds of the "aerospace dream" are taking root in the hearts of children, and these flowers of the motherland are the hope of China's future aerospace industry.
The vast Gobi and Yeye Populus euphratica quietly tell the love affair between Inner Mongolia and China's aerospace industry for more than 60 years, and we believe that this relationship will continue to write more and newer beautiful chapters in the vast desert Gobi.
Lifting and returning capsule.
Take a commemorative photo with the return capsule.
Source: Inner Mongolia Daily
Editor: Liu Boyu
Editor: Zhao Zongjie
Final review: Li Enguang
Director: Zhao Huiru