China reveals logos for three manned space missions in 2023

BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has revealed logos for three missions of China's manned space program this year, namely the launches of the cargo craft Tianzhou-6, and the crewed spaceships Shenzhou-16 and Shenzhou-17.

According to the CMSA, since the launch of the logo call on Feb. 15 this year, it has received more than 1,500 submissions from over 500 organizations and individuals across China.

After preliminary selection, online voting and final validation, three logos, which were designed by Xiaoao Tiangong Culture and Art (Beijing) Center, Beijing Institute of Space Science and Technology Information, and a postgraduate student at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, respectively, were officially released.

The selected logos were well designed and filled with the best wishes for China's space station. The logo of the Shenzhou-16 mission even incorporates the "Kun," a sacred animal from Chinese mythology, which flies extremely high, far and steadily.

It was the first open logo solicitation of China's manned space program, said the CMSA.

The Tianzhou-6 cargo craft is expected to be launched in May this year. The Shenzhou-16 and Shenzhou-17 spaceships will be launched in May and October, respectively, and will dock with the space station to form a combination of three modules and three spaceships, according to an earlier announcement made by the CMSA.