Testimonials on the Way Home

This is a documentary literary work that records China's manned spaceflight industry from a first-person perspective. As an ordinary aerospace enthusiast, the author was fortunate enough to be invited to participate in the entire launch of the Shenzhou 16 manned spacecraft and witnessed the return and landing of the astronauts five months later, fully experiencing the emotional cycle from "sending off" to "welcoming". The work is based on the timeline from May to October 2023, recording the whole process of the author flying from Beijing to Jiuquan, going deep into Dongfeng Space City, observing the launch of Shenzhou 16 on-site, learning the return technology of Shenzhou 15, and witnessing the return journey of Shenzhou 16 on live television. Through a personal observation perspective, the work vividly demonstrates the unique charm of this aerospace city on the edge of the Badain Jaran Desert: not only the miracle of life growing tropical fruits in the Gobi, but also the inheritance of the aerospace spirit of the Dongfeng Memorial Park; not only the magnificent shock of the 921 station launch tower, but also the technical reliability verification of the return capsule parachute system. The core value of the work lies in combining the grand aerospace enterprise with personal emotional experience. When Shenzhou 16 encountered parachute anomalies when it returned, the author's initial concerns gradually transformed into a deep understanding and admiration for the reliability of China's aerospace technology. This psychological process truly reflects the deepening of the public's understanding of the aerospace industry.