Q&A: Chinese astronauts on what really goes on inside the Tiangong space station, and the beauty of the aerospace dream
- Hong Kong students asked questions about drinking and exercising in space, and the kind of experiments conducted in the space station
- Astronauts hope the chat will inspire them to fall in love with space travel
In an unprecedented session attended by more than 200 university students and secondary school pupils in Hong Kong on Friday, eight of them asked questions of three astronauts – Liu Boming, Nie Haisheng and Tang Hongbo in space – and senior Chinese space engineers and experts, such as former astronaut Yang Liwei, in Beijing. These were some of the highlights.
Where and how do you get the water you drink in space? Can you show us? (pupil from St Paul’s Co-educational College)
Liu: Recycled water either comes from the condensate collected inside the cabin, or the urine we collect. Through the urine treatment, it will become distilled water.
The size of the water bubble can’t be too large, as it will float away sometimes. If it is too small, it is not enough for me to drink. So squeezed to just the right amount, at this size, it is ideal for me to drink.
When you step out of the cabin, can you see Hong Kong? Can you see the satellites from the space station? Are the stars that you see in space the same as those you see from the ground? (pupil from Chinese Foundation Secondary School)