China: First civilian astronaut into space

SGGP 05/31/2023 06:34

Reuters reported that on the morning of May 30, China launched a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying the Shenzhou-16 spacecraft, sending three of its astronauts to the Tiangong space station.

Gui Haichao (left), 36, from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is China's first civilian astronaut to fly into space. Photo: XINHUA

According to the China Manned Space Administration, the three-man crew will conduct six-month intensive research missions in Tiangong.

In the group of 3 astronauts on the Shenzhou-16 spacecraft, in addition to the head of the delegation, Major General Jing Haipeng (56 years old), who has flown into space 3 times, there are Mr. Gui Haichao (36 years old), a professor at Beihang University, and former professor at the Military University Zhu Yangzhu (36 years old). Both were selected to be trained as 3rd generation astronauts and these are the first civilians in China to make a space flight.

On the space station, Mr. Que will be a scientific payload specialist, and Mr. Chu will be an aerospace engineer.