As the Year of the Horse gallops into 2026, the Shenzhou-21 crew has made history by hosting the first-ever Lunar New Year celebration in space. Floating 350 kilometers above Earth, the taikonauts transformed their spacecraft into a microgravity festival ground, complete with drifting red lanterns and a meticulously prepared feast of dumplings, niangao (sticky rice cake), and other symbolic dishes.
Footage released by the China National Space Administration shows crew members exchanging digital red envelopes via tablet devices and affixing paper-cut window decorations to module walls using static-friendly materials. The menu, developed by nutritionists and chefs, preserved traditional flavors while meeting the challenges of space-safe packaging and zero-gravity consumption.
This orbital celebration underscores China's growing capabilities in long-duration space missions while highlighting cultural preservation efforts. Scientists note that maintaining seasonal rituals during extended missions could prove crucial for crew morale as nations plan deeper space exploration.
