China News Service, Beijing, October 4th (Wei Xianghui) In about another year and a half, China will give birth to the fourth batch of reserve astronauts.

　　From September 21, 1992, the central government approved the implementation of the "National Manned Space Project", and the Chinese manned space project has been implemented for 30 years.

From 1995 to 2020, China has completed the selection of three batches of reserve astronauts.

From Shenzhou 5 to Shenzhou 14, 14 astronauts and 23 Chinese astronauts have fulfilled their dreams of space.

Data map: On September 15, in the "Deep Light Years" exhibition hall of the Beijing Science Center, the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft return capsule was exhibited to the public for the first time. The actual spacecraft was also unveiled at the same time.

Photo by Wu Fan Image source: Visual China

"China Space Station, waiting for you to come on a business trip"

　　On October 2, the China Manned Space Engineering Office announced that the selection of China's fourth batch of reserve astronauts has recently started.

　　A total of 12 to 14 reserve astronauts were selected this time, including 7 to 8 space pilots, 5 to 6 space flight engineers and payload experts, of which about 2 are payload experts.

　　Aerospace pilots are selected from among the active pilots of the three armed forces, aerospace engineers are selected from scientific research and engineering technicians engaged in aerospace engineering and related fields, and load experts are selected from scientific research personnel engaged in space science research and application-related fields.

　　The selection of the reserve astronauts will be organized and implemented by the China Manned Space Engineering Office.

Data map: The Shenzhou 14 astronaut crew successfully opened the Wentian experimental cabin door at 10:03 on July 25, 2022, and entered the Wentian experimental cabin smoothly.

Image source: China Manned Space Engineering Office

"Gold rush in the sand, thousands of choices"

　　The term "spaceflight" was coined by Qian Xuesen, a world-renowned scientist and winner of the Meritorious Medal for Two Bombs and One Satellite.

In 1967, Qian Xuesen mentioned in a speech, "The flight of human beings within the earth's atmosphere is called 'aviation', and the flight outside the earth's atmosphere is called 'spaceflight'." After the United States and the Soviet Union achieved manned spaceflight respectively, Qian Xuesen said, "Let's beat the gongs and drums of manned spaceflight first."

　　"The manned spaceflight project is a symbol of the country's comprehensive national strength. Because of the manned spaceflight project, the fate of many of us has changed." In 2021, China's "female astronaut instructor" Huang Weifen said in a public speech.

She is currently the chief designer of China's manned space engineering astronaut system and a researcher of China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

　　Huang Weifen said that the selection of astronauts is like panning for gold in the sand, with thousands of choices; while astronaut training is a process of tempering and refining.

According to her, at present, only Russia, the United States and China have a complete and independent technical system for astronaut selection in the world.

Data map: The Shenzhou 13 crew strengthened their weightlessness protection exercises in space to prepare for their return.

Image source: Visual China

　　How strict are the selection criteria?

Huang Weifen gave an example. There are more than 120 clauses in the "Clinical Medicine Selection Criteria" alone, and each clause corresponds to the requirements of many medical problems.

　　"Space Environment Endurance and Adaptability" is one of the most distinctive items in the selection of astronauts. It includes overweight endurance, vestibular function, noise sensitivity, etc. There are a total of 17 examinations of physiological functions, which are extremely challenging.

　　Huang Weifen introduced that when a subject underwent a vestibular function test, he initially vomited while sitting in a swivel chair, and later developed to the point where he would feel nauseous as long as he heard that the swivel chair test was going to be performed today.

The heroine of "picking the stars"

　　"The mother who picked the stars is back."

On April 16 this year, the Shenzhou 13 astronauts arrived in Beijing. Wang Yaping's daughter held flowers to welcome her mother's triumph.

After lovingly hugging and kissing his daughter, Wang Yaping took out a little star to fulfill the promise he made to his daughter before the expedition.

　　In 2021, Wang Yaping will go to space again on Shenzhou 13, becoming China's first female astronaut to perform an extravehicular activity.

Before that, in 2013, she, Nie Haisheng and Zhang Xiaoguang had already entered space on the Shenzhou 10 spacecraft.

Data map: In Zhanggezhuang Town, Fushan District, Yantai City, Shandong Province, the hometown of astronaut Wang Yaping, the public watched the astronaut's return through live TV.

Photo by Sui Hao

　　China's first female astronaut in space was Liu Yang.

In June 2012, Liu Yang performed the Shenzhou 9 manned mission, becoming China's first female astronaut to participate in a manned space flight.

On September 1, 2022, Liu Yang performed the mission of outboard activities.

　　The space environment is complex, and the selection criteria for astronauts do not differ between men and women.

Huang Weifen said: "The harsh space environment brings the same challenges to male and female astronauts, so female astronauts also need to have adaptability and tolerance to the environment."

　　With the development of China's space technology, astronauts have also begun to assume more diversified space roles.

In 2013, Wang Yaping taught in space for the first time.

After that, in 2021 and 2022, she opened the "Tiangong Classroom" twice on the Chinese space station.

　　Huang Weifen introduced that during the 33-day flight of the "God Eleven", there were 59 important activities and experiments undertaken by the astronauts.

"It can be said that they are both engineers and scientists, biologists and vegetable farmers, professional astronauts and image ambassadors for manned spaceflight."

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