Why did the hero Yang Liwei get a pistol when he went into space? Are there really aliens?

The possibility of aliens is not ruled out, but equipping Yang Liwei with this pistol is definitely not to deal with aliens. If there are aliens, this pistol may not play a very good role. In fact, the main purpose of this pistol is to use it when Yang Liwei returns to Earth, because there are many unpredictable things in his space, and no one knows what he will encounter when he returns to Earth. If you encounter some danger after returning to earth, you can use this pistol to defend yourself or ask for help.

1965, two Soviet pilots were threatened by wolves and bears when they returned to earth because they landed in the virgin forest of Ai. Two unarmed astronauts stayed in the depths of the forest for two days. Although it was finally safe, it also attracted the attention of all countries. It was also after this incident that astronauts basically began to equip themselves with self-defense weapons.

Because space is a vacuum, can a pistol be fired? How to make a pistol fire in space is also a course studied by various countries. Many people think that the pistol can be fired normally in space because the bullet itself is sealed. However, the Soviet Union developed a special kind of gun.

In fact, I still think that the biggest function of equipping astronauts with guns is to use them after returning to earth. It can play a role in the face of the threat of large wild carnivores, and can also be used to send a distress signal after losing contact.

Whether aliens really exist still needs to be demonstrated. If it is not enough to equip pilots with guns, it is definitely not used against aliens. The psychological quality of ordinary pilots is also sufficient, and there is no need to use guns to be courageous. So I think they are more likely to use guns on earth. After all, returning to earth is also a risky thing.

Yang Liwei's pistol is definitely not superfluous, but a real "just need". Encounter such a thing still needs to be analyzed from a scientific point of view, so I think the main reason for giving Yang Liwei a gun is that there is demand on the earth!