The Shenzhou-20 crew aboard China's Tiangong space station have been steadily advancing a series of scientific experiments, equipment maintenance, and health routines over the past week, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
In the field of space medicine, the three astronauts used laptops and specialized software to complete fine motor control and metacognitive monitoring experiments. They also collected data with electroencephalograms -- devices that measure electrical activity in the brain -- for studies on visual-motion processing and cognition in microgravity, supporting ongoing research on Earth.
The crew harvested and stored lettuce grown on board, before beginning a new round of cultivation of other plants.
They also continued to carry out experiments in microgravity physics.
In terms of station maintenance, the crew completed the replacement of ignition heads and burners in the combustion facility, samples in the container-free facility, and window lens covers on an axial mechanism.
A scheduled full-system pressure emergency drill was also carried out, simulating a cabin depressurization scenario. The drill strengthened the crew's emergency response skills and coordination with ground teams.
The astronauts inspected and maintained low-temperature storage equipment, transferring samples from a minus 80 degrees Celsius freezer to a newly installed space refrigerator, and performed routine checks including condensate cleaning.
They also carried out maintenance on directional cameras in the Wentian lab module and tested onboard laptops.
For health management, the crew conducted cardiopulmonary fitness tests, exercised regularly, and used neuromuscular stimulation devices to counteract muscle atrophy in microgravity.
Chinese astronauts conduct experiments in neuroscience, botany aboard Tiangong Space Station
Chinese astronauts conduct experiments in neuroscience, botany aboard Tiangong Space Station
Voting for the election of the eighth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) concluded on Sunday night.
Voting for the election began at 07:30 a.m. local time on Sunday. More than 600 polling stations were opened across Hong Kong, serving approximately 4.13 million registered voters.
Long queues had already formed outside multiple polling stations across Hong Kong before the polls opened. At polling station entrances, staff and volunteers attentively assisted voters with the procedures. Some voters posed for a photo holding a thank-you card given by staff after casting their ballot.
"As a Hong Kong citizen, I think it's my responsibility to vote, and I don't want to give up my rights. That's why I come here to support," a voter said.
"We actually flew in from Thailand. Learning today is a special day to vote, we actually canceled all our appointments and canceled everything, and we flew in with the whole family just to be part of Hong Kong and to vote, and to cast our vote and be part of the community," said another voter.
HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee cast his ballot at around 08:30 a.m. at Raimondi College on Robinson Road. He said that the LegCo election is of great importance to Hong Kong's overall development and future reforms, and it also represents the expectations of Hong Kong society.
A number of voters said they look forward to the new term of the Legislative Council taking greater responsibility in advancing Hong Kong's economy, society, and public welfare.
"I think an area of focus I'd like to see is, one is the economy, and secondly is youth mobility and youth policies. I think youth are the future, and it's very important to get unity within the youth and also give us hope, right? The youth in general -- what can we do to, for us as youth, to partake in civil society and to show our responsibility, but also from the government, like, what kind of policy that can help us do that as well," said a young voter.
"I hope that there will be more fair education in the sense that even people from the poor family, they can actually receive good education in good schools," another voter said.
The new term of LegCo will be composed of 90 members, including 40 elected by the Election Committee, 30 elected by functional constituencies, and 20 elected by geographical constituencies through direct elections. The name list of the 40 members returned by the Election Committee has been unveiled.
The eighth-term LegCo of the HKSAR will commence its four-year term on Jan 1, 2026.
Voting for 8th-term HKSAR LegCo election concludes
Voting for 8th-term HKSAR LegCo election concludes
