China's space station launch - in pictures

[Judi Lynn]

A Chinese spaceship carrying a three-person crew has docked with the country’s new space station at the start of three-month mission, marking a milestone in its ambitious space programme. The mission is China’s first manned spaceflight in almost five years

Matt Fidler
Fri 18 Jun 2021 07.33 EDT



Primary schoolchildren learn about space through a model in Handan, Hebei province, after the successful launch of Shenzhou 12 manned spacecraft, which has greatly stimulated the enthusiasm of young people for aerospace and aviation
Photograph: Sipa US/Alamy Live News



The three Chinese astronauts onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship saluting after entering the Tianhe space station core module in Beijing
Photograph: Xinhua/Jin Liwang/EPA

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2021/jun/18/chinas-space-station-launch-in-pictures

[wyn borkins]

1. To Be (Weightless) OR Not To Be (Weightless), That Is The Question

Not sure I believe any of this unless and until I hear from Guo Ming, head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and director of the Taiyang Shen Program.

Also, those three dudes don't appear to be all that 'weightless' if they are actually 'in space', perhaps those blue straps just above their slippers are securing them in position = (???).

[Duppers]

2. Caption did say "in Beijing"

So I take that to mean pre-launch.

[wyn borkins]

3. So Pre-Launch It Is...

Yes, yes it did say "in Beijing"