Figure: Liu Yang and Wang Yaping Attended "Women in Space –A 50-Year Success Story"
Plenary 4 of the 64th International Astronautical Congress: "Women in Space –A 50-Year Success Story" was held on the afternoon of September 24, 2013. China's first female astronaut Liu Yang, China's first space lecturer Wang Yaping, American astronaut Sandy Magnus and Japan's first female astronaut Chiaki Mukai gathered to share their spaceflight experience and discussed women's role in human space exploration.
Ms. Mazlan Othman, Director of UNOOSA, chaired the meeting. The meeting started with a review of the world's first female astronaut Tereshkova's space trip. During June 16-19, 1963, Tereshkova flied for 70 hours and 40 minutes aboard Vostok-6 spaceship, orbiting the earth 48 times. What made this flight significant is that Tereshkova became the first woman to fly in space.
Following the review, four female astronauts made consecutive speeches. Liu Yang shared her flying experience with passion and introduced those female space workers behind the scene such as Huang Weifen and Li Yinghui. She also showed her space artwork on the screen: a Chinese knot, saying that, "I would like to send this Chinese knot standing for good luck and happiness to those who are brave in exploring the universe and wish you safe and sound in every mission."
Wang Yaping showed gratitude to the female pioneers in human space exploration in the first place. She said, "Women are an indispensible part in human space exploration. They can add vigor and pleasure to the crew." Then she recalled her space lecture experience and expressed her respect to the first space teacher Barbara Morgan. Finally, she hoped that the "spacecraft of friendship" will lead more women to a brilliant future.
American astronaut Sandy Magnus said, "A total of 45 American women have carried out spaceflight missions, among whom some have worked as crew commanders and some have conducted EVA. Among the newly appointed eight astronauts, four are female. Women are playing a more and more important role in human space missions. I hope more women can have the chance to fly to space."
Japanese astronaut Chiaki Mukai said, "During the past 50 years, space has shifted from national pride to international cooperation, from government-led to commercial cooperation. Peaceful use of space will benefit the whole mankind." (By Yu Yanjuan, Liu Shuang)
2013-09-26 
