Tens of millions of primary and middle school students across China watched the televised open science lecture given by Chinese astronauts from the orbiting Tiangong space station on Oct 12.

Students from Heze No 1 Middle School in Shandong province, along with other invited students in Beijing, Zhengzhou, Henan province, and Dali, Yunnan province, were present at "ground class venues" for the third lecture of the "Tiangong Class" series, China's first extraterrestrial lecture series that aims to popularize space science.

Students attend the third live class of the "Tiangong Class" series at Heze No 1 Middle School in Shandong province on Oct 12. [Photo/Iqilu News]

During the educational activity, the astronauts of the Shenzhou XIV mission, namely Senior Colonel Chen Dong, Senior Colonel Liu Yang and Senior Colonel Cai Xuzhe, showed the audience the sleeping and living quarters and scientific apparatus inside the Wentian lab module, which became part of the Tiangong station in July.

The astronauts carried out some experiments to show unique physical phenomena in microgravity inside the space station and explained these phenomena. They also demonstrated sampling procedures on stalks of rice and thale cress, a small flowering plant of the mustard family, that are growing inside a scientific cabinet.

During the 50-minute lecture, the crew members also answered questions from students that ranged from how to become an astronaut to what kinds of plants will be brought to space on future spaceflights.

The class is designed to popularize space science. [Photo/Iqilu News]

"The space class gave me a very big shock. I once felt that space was very far away from us, now we can actually learn the experiments in space through live broadcasts. I find some interesting things about the science and the universe and feel the scientific competiveness of our country, which I'm very proud of," said Li Peixuan, a student from Heze No 1 Middle School.

"Via this class, I saw the advanced space station of our country. The progress made in China's space industry is the result of the struggle of many researchers. I hope to make a contribution to the space industry of our country through my own efforts in the future," said Yin Zhenghan, another student from Heze No 1 Middle School.

Since its establishment, Heze No 1 Middle School has always attached great importance to aerospace science popularization education, and has organized many activities to spark students' curiosity and attract them to the exploration of science and the universe.

Over the years, the school has cultivated more than 310 outstanding students for the aerospace industry, and many of its alumni have become the backbone of China's aerospace industry.

An exhibition hall of aerospace science popularization education at Heze No 1 Middle School [Photo/Iqilu News]