Recently, I had the opportunity to spend a few days at "Dongfeng Space City" near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, where I was sent by the national newspaper to cover the launch(发射) of the Shenzhou-18 manned spacecraft. This experience provided me with a chance to learn about China's space-themed tourism.
The Space City is where the Chinese aerospace dream begins. In 1970, China's first man-made satellite "Dongfanghong-1" was launched from the Dongfangho ng satellite launch site. In2018, the Dongfanghong satellite launch site became a patriotic (爱国的) education base. The current launch site is called the"Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center", and it is famous for beingChina's only manned space launch site.
For visitors, the quickest way to travel from Beijing to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is by flying to Jiayuguan Jiuquan Airport and then taking a four-hour drive to the city. The view through the car window reveals the vast Gobi Desert, with the sun casting its rays upon the"lonely"road. It is a landscape with little greenery and few buildings or other signs of human life.
However, inside the Space City, you'll find a whole new world: a park, a cinema, aclinic, a supermarket, hotels, restaurants, bakeries and clothing stores. There's even a farmers'market and a popular milk tea stand. Visitors to the Space City are often recommended to taste the"Aerospace Milk" and"Acrospace Yogurt". Visitors can also taste grapes, watermelons,tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables from the greenhouse at the launch site.
Visitors have the impression that they're in an ordinary Chinese town. It is only when you come across roads named after"Taikong"and"Yuzhou" that you truly understand the unique identity of this area. Local people have even designed the streetlights in the shape of rockets launching spacecraft. There is also a souvenir (纪念品) shop in the Space City where you can buy various models of rockets, satellites and astronauts.
