The 47th fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy recently wrapped up an escort mission for a civilian cargo ship.
The civilian cargo ship, Zhenhua 35, carried 26 Chinese crew members on board. It marked the 1661st mission of the fleet since it began undertaking escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia since late December last year.
The 47th navy fleet comprises a guided-missile destroyer, a missile frigate and a supply vessel. It carries over 700 officers and soldiers, with two helicopters and more than 10 special force members on board.
China’s 47th naval escort taskforce completes new escort mission
China will unveil its latest achievements in deep space exploration, commercial space activities, and research on lunar samples at the launch ceremony of the main events of Space Day, according to China National Space Administration (CNSA) in Beijing on Friday.
April 24 marks the 11th Space Day of China.
The main events for the occasion, including a launch ceremony, a series of space science popularization exhibitions, and a space culture and arts forum, will be held in Chengdu, capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Concurrent activities will also include the China Space Conference, space science popularization programs in schools, and technical exchanges.
The launch ceremony will be held in the morning of April 24, during which a promotional video and theme song will be released, along with major announcements regarding the space sector.
"At the space science popularization exhibition, lunar samples collected from both the near side and far side of the Moon by Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6, respectively, will be displayed side by side. The large-scale space VR (virtual reality) science popularization and science fiction show Footprints in the Stars: Rendezvous on the Lunar Far Side will also invite public participation. The launch ceremony will also feature the release of a series of major announcements, including the latest achievements in deep space exploration, commercial space activities, and research on lunar samples collected by Chang'e-5," said Liu Yunfeng, deputy director of the CNSA's system engineering department, at a press conference on the upcoming Space Day of China.
More than 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country will host activities such as space open houses, science popularization lectures, knowledge competitions, and exchange and discussion sessions to mark the Space Day.
Outstanding space-themed films and television programs, including Missions to the Moon - China's first documentary on its lunar exploration - will be broadcast in succession.
Space Day events to spotlight China's latest space exploration feats in Chengdu
