photo: web

Summer is college graduation season in China, and this time the graduates of Changchun University of Science and Technology (CUST) in northeastern Jilin Province are venturing to do something more meaningful to conclude their four years of collegiate life.

The students opted to have their graduation picture taken from space, by two satellites.

For the 100 CUST graduates, the graduation gift could be a brave innovation among peers in the world. To take the satellite photo, the 100 graduates held red and yellow bill boards on the playground, to form the English abbreviation of the name of the college, and then they wait for the satellites to pass by.

At around 9:45 am the two satellites of Jilin-1 Spectrum 01 satellite and Jilin-1 video 07 satellite passed through the university. The satellite image clearly showed the red and yellow letters formed by the 100 students.

Students participate in the photo shooting found it meaningful to have been part of such a unique graduation experience. 

Li Jinfeng, a student from the university said they have been training for a while for the special moment. "Although we felt baked under the scorching sun and were tired during the training, we  are elated and very honored to participate in such a creative activity," Li said.

According to Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. which provided the photo shooting service, a dozen of other Chinese universities will also have their students' graduation photos taken by satellites.