Astronauts mark New Year with livestream from space

During the crew's first spacewalk, all three astronauts said they were "feeling good" after going into space. This prompted netizens on China's social media to affectionately call them the "feel good crew".

When commenting on their moniker, Zhai said they were simply paying homage to a time-honored tradition in China's manned space program, as Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut to go to space, spoke these words after returning to Earth in 2003. Zhai said he uttered the same phrase during his first spacewalk in 2008.

"The words 'feeling good' are a genuine and spontaneous expression from our hearts after overcoming numerous challenges," he said.

For example, a long-term stay in the microgravity of space can lead to muscle atrophy and calcium loss in bones, Zhai said. Living in a confined space away from Earth can also lead to feelings of anxiety and loneliness.

However, by exercising and maintaining good mental health, coupled with constant monitoring and guidance from ground control, Zhai said the crew is in good shape for their mission.

"We may encounter various issues and difficulties in future missions, but we firmly believe we will still be feeling good after completing our objectives and returning home to meet our countrymen," he said.

Near the end of the livestream, the Tiangong crew revealed that the interior of the space station had been decorated with more than 20 pictures drawn by children from central and western regions of China.

These pictures featured astronauts, rockets, planets and aliens, showcasing their imagination and love for science and space. For example, a middle school student from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region drew a "space zoo", with robots taking care of live animals including crocodiles, lions and sheep.

Wong Kam-fai, an engineering professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said it was the third time that Hong Kong took part in a live video call with Chinese astronauts, and these events have bolstered the love for science and the country in Hong Kong's youth.

Dai Wen, a doctoral candidate from Tsinghua University's School of Aerospace Engineering, said she felt very excited and motivated after watching the livestream.

"Seeing how healthy our astronauts are, and how clean and organized our space station is, I can see the strong progress of our nation's aerospace industry," Dai said.