Shenzhou XIX mission a journey of progress

At precisely 4:27 am Beijing time on Oct 30, China's Shenzhou XIX spacecraft soared into the night sky aboard a Long March 2F rocket. With an efficient autonomous rapid docking system, Shenzhou XIX docked just 6.5 hours later with the Tianhe core module of China's Tiangong space station, settling in at forward port. As Shenzhou XIX docked smoothly, it's hard not to feel a growing sense of pride in the country's space program.

The launches and successful space missions have now become symbols of excellence, and increased people's confidence in China's prowess in the field of science and technology.

This confidence didn't emerge overnight. I still vividly remember standing on the sandy shores of Wenchang in 2021 with my colleagues, hearing the roar of Tianhe's launch, seeing the sky light up, and joining the thousands of voices cheering as the core module ascended. The memories stretch back further to 2003, watching the launch of Shenzhou 5 with bated breath in my dorm at Beihang University, anxious for Yang Liwei's safety. More than 20 years later, China's space achievements have become examples of space exploration.