Amazing photos taken by Chinese astronauts over the years

File photos

From the launch of the spacecraft Shenzhou 5 to the Shenzhou 11, China has journeyed ever further into space. These photos taken by astronauts from earlier voyages show an evolving picture of space.

Yang Liwei, the first Chinese astronaut sent into the space, takes a selfie.

'Best selfie'

This is the first Chinese "selfie in space," taken by Yang Liwei at dusk of his first day in space. Yang, the first Chinese astronaut, was sent into the space on the Shenzhou 5 on December 15, 2003, making China the third country in the world to send people into space.

'Enjoy the beauty of the earth and the moon'

During Yang's voyage, he took more than 100 photos with a digital camera.

'Look at China, our home in the distance'

This photo of the Badan Jaran desert was taken by Chinese astronaut Fei Junlong during his voyage on the Shenzhou 6. The desert is located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Northwest China, where the Shenzhou 6 was launched.

Liu Yang, the first Chinese female astronaut, rests in a sleeping bag.

'Goodnight, Earth'

Liu Yang, the first Chinese female astronaut sent into space, prepares to rest. She flew on the Shenzhou 9 to the Tiangong-1 space station in 2012. Astronauts don’t lie in the bed for rest but stand in a sleeping bag installed in the bulkhead to avoid drifting due to weightlessness