Celestial Journeys
A comprehensive overview of the individuals who have journeyed beyond Earth's atmosphere, charting China's path in space exploration.
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Introduction
Defining "Taikonaut"
This compilation details the astronauts trained by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) for commanding, piloting, or serving as crew members aboard spacecraft. While the term "taikonaut" is frequently used in media, it is not an officially recognized designation within China. The standard English term employed by the CNSA is simply "astronauts" (Chinese: 航天员; pinyin: hángtiānyuán).
China's Spacefaring Nation
The development of China's human spaceflight program represents a significant advancement in global space exploration. The nation's journey began with ambitious plans in the late 1960s and early 1970s, culminating in the successful launch of its first astronaut, Yang Liwei, in 2003. This achievement positioned China as the third country, after the Soviet Union and the United States, to independently send humans into space.
Early Aspirations and Setbacks
Initial proposals for crewed spacecraft, such as the Shuguang One project in the 1970s, aimed to send the first Chinese astronaut into space by 1973. A cohort of 19 astronauts was selected in 1971 for this program. However, political and scientific challenges led to the project's suspension, delaying China's independent human spaceflight capabilities. Notably, Taylor Wang, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, became the first ethnically Chinese person in space in 1985 aboard a NASA mission.
Milestones in History
The PLA Astronaut Corps
The formal establishment of the People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps in 1998 marked a pivotal moment, laying the groundwork for the Shenzhou program. This dedicated corps was responsible for selecting and training astronauts for China's ambitious human spaceflight endeavors.
Yang Liwei: The First
On October 15, 2003, Yang Liwei made history by launching aboard the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft. His successful mission not only marked China's debut in human spaceflight but also established the nation as a major player in space exploration.
Zhai Zhigang: The Spacewalk
During the Shenzhou 7 mission in 2008, Zhai Zhigang achieved another significant milestone by performing China's first extravehicular activity (EVA), commonly known as a spacewalk. This demonstrated advanced capabilities in space operations.
Liu Yang & Wang Yaping: Pioneering Women
Liu Yang became the first Chinese woman in space aboard Shenzhou 9 in 2012, also docking with the Tiangong-1 space laboratory. Later, Wang Yaping, who had previously flown on Shenzhou 10, became the first Chinese woman to conduct a spacewalk during the Shenzhou 13 mission in 2021.
Gui Haichao: The Civilian Specialist
In 2023, Gui Haichao flew on the Shenzhou 16 mission, becoming the first civilian astronaut not affiliated with the PLA Astronaut Corps and the first mission payload specialist. This marked a new phase in astronaut selection, broadening the scope beyond military pilots.
Wang Haoze: The Engineer
Wang Haoze, on the Shenzhou 19 mission in 2024, is noted as the third Chinese woman in space and the first Chinese female aerospace flight engineer, highlighting the increasing diversity and specialization within the astronaut corps.
Flown Astronauts
Astronaut Mission Roster
As of April 2025, twenty-six Chinese nationals have undertaken spaceflights. The following table details these pioneering individuals, their missions, and notable achievements:
Name | Name in Chinese | Missions (dates) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Yang Liwei | 杨利伟 | Shenzhou 5 (October 15, 2003) | First Chinese national in space. First solo person in space not flown on a Soviet/Russian or American spacecraft. |
Fei Junlong | 费俊龙 | Shenzhou 6 (October 12–16, 2005) Shenzhou 15 (November 29, 2022–June 3, 2023) |
Commander of the first two-person Chinese crew in space. |
Nie Haisheng | 聂海生 | Shenzhou 6 (October 12–16, 2005) Shenzhou 10 (June 11–26, 2013) Shenzhou 12 (June 17–September 17, 2021) |
Member of the first two-person Chinese crew in space. |
Jing Haipeng | 景海鹏 | Shenzhou 7 (September 25–28, 2008) Shenzhou 9 (June 16–29, 2012) Shenzhou 11 (October 17–November 18, 2016) Shenzhou 16 (May 30, 2023–October 31, 2023) |
Member of the first three-person Chinese crew in space. First repeat Chinese national in space. Commander of the first Chinese crew to achieve crewed spacecraft docking. |
Liu Boming | 刘伯明 | Shenzhou 7 (September 25–28, 2008) Shenzhou 12 (June 17–September 17, 2021) |
Member of the first three-person Chinese crew in space. |
Zhai Zhigang | 翟志刚 | Shenzhou 7 (September 25–28, 2008) Shenzhou 13 (October 15, 2021–April 16, 2022) |
First Chinese national to walk in space. Commander of the first Chinese three-person crew in space. |
Liu Wang | 刘旺 | Shenzhou 9 (June 16–29, 2012) | Member of the first Chinese crew to achieve crewed spacecraft docking. |
Liu Yang | 刘洋 | Shenzhou 9 (June 16–29, 2012) Shenzhou 14 (June 5–December 4, 2022) |
First Chinese woman in space. Member of first Chinese crew to achieve crewed spacecraft docking. |
Zhang Xiaoguang | 张晓光 | Shenzhou 10 (June 11–26, 2013) | Conducted crewed spacecraft rendezvous and docking. |
Wang Yaping | 王亚平 | Shenzhou 10 (June 11–26, 2013) Shenzhou 13 (October 15, 2021–April 16, 2022) |
Second Chinese female taikonaut and the first Chinese woman to travel twice in space. First Chinese woman to walk in space. |
Chen Dong | 陈冬 | Shenzhou 11 (October 17–November 18, 2016) Shenzhou 14 (June 5–December 4, 2022) Shenzhou 20 (April 24, 2025–present) |
Conducted multiple space experiments. |
Tang Hongbo | 汤洪波 | Shenzhou 12 (June 17–September 17, 2021) Shenzhou 17 (October 26, 2023–April 30, 2024) |
|
Ye Guangfu | 叶光富 | Shenzhou 13 (October 15, 2021–April 16, 2022) Shenzhou 18 (April 25, 2024–November 4, 2024) |
|
Cai Xuzhe | 蔡旭哲 | Shenzhou 14 (June 5–December 4, 2022) Shenzhou 19 (October 29, 2024–present) |
|
Deng Qingming | 邓清明 | Shenzhou 15 (November 29, 2022–June 3, 2023) | |
Zhang Lu | 张陆 | Shenzhou 15 (November 29, 2022–June 3, 2023) | |
Zhu Yangzhu | 朱杨柱 | Shenzhou 16 (May 30, 2023–October 31, 2023) | |
Gui Haichao | 桂海潮 | Shenzhou 16 (May 30, 2023–October 31, 2023) | First payload specialist, first civilian taikonaut in space |
Tang Shengjie | 唐胜杰 | Shenzhou 17 (October 26, 2023–April 30, 2024) | |
Jiang Xinlin | 江新林 | Shenzhou 17 (October 26, 2023–April 30, 2024) | |
Li Cong | 李聪 | Shenzhou 18 (April 25, 2024–November 4, 2024) | |
Li Guangsu | 李广苏 | Shenzhou 18 (April 25, 2024–November 4, 2024) | |
Song Lingdong | 宋令东 | Shenzhou 19 (October 29, 2024–April 29, 2025) | |
Wang Haoze | 王浩泽 | Shenzhou 19 (October 29, 2024–April 29, 2025) | Third Chinese female taikonaut and the first Chinese female spaceflight engineer. |
Chen Zhongrui | 陈中瑞 | Shenzhou 20 (April 24, 2025–present) | |
Wang Jie | 王杰 | Shenzhou 20 (April 24, 2025–present) |
Astronaut Selection Groups
Shuguang Group (1970)
The initial selection for the Shuguang One project, comprising 19 individuals, represented the earliest formal step towards China's human spaceflight ambitions, though the program was ultimately suspended.
Group 1 (1996/1998)
Selected in October 1996 and January 1998, this group included the astronauts who would fly the early Shenzhou missions, including Yang Liwei and Zhai Zhigang. Some members were designated as backup crew or retired before flying.
Group 2 (2010)
This group, selected in March 2010, included astronauts who would participate in later Shenzhou missions and contribute to the Tiangong program.
Group 3 (2020)
Announced in October 2020, this group expanded the astronaut corps with new pilots, flight engineers, and payload specialists, including the first civilian astronaut.
Group 4 (2022)
Selected in October 2022, this group includes pilots and spaceflight engineers, notably incorporating candidates from Hong Kong and Macau, signaling an expansion of China's space program's reach.
The Space Program Context
Shenzhou Program
The Shenzhou program is China's human spaceflight initiative, responsible for launching astronauts into orbit. The spacecraft, named after the Chinese word for "divine vessel," has evolved through multiple generations, enabling increasingly complex missions, including rendezvous, docking, and long-duration stays in space.
Tiangong Space Station
The development of the Tiangong space station represents the pinnacle of China's human spaceflight achievements. This modular orbital outpost serves as a national space laboratory, facilitating scientific research and long-term human presence in low Earth orbit. Astronauts from the Shenzhou program regularly crew the station.
References
Source Citations
The information presented on this page is derived from publicly available data, primarily the Wikipedia article on the List of Chinese astronauts.
- Shuguang 1. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Xi, Qixin; Fan, Juwei; Liu, Cheng. (2003, October 17). Birth of Chinese Astronauts. Xinhua.net. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Shenzhou 5. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Shenzhou 7. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Amos, Jonathan. (2012, June 18). Shenzhou-9 docks with Tiangong-1. BBC News. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Shenzhou-13 Crew Conducts First Extravehicular Activities, Wang Yaping Becomes First Female Chinese Astronaut to Spacewalk. (2021, November 8). Pandaily. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- China to send its first civilian astronaut into space. (2023, May 29). Al Jazeera. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Wang Haoze, a member of the Shenzhou 19 crew, graduated from Southeast University with a bachelor's and master's degree. She is currently the only female aerospace flight engineer in my country. (2024, October 29). Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Xue, Yanwen; Shan, Ruchao; Li, Xiaofan. (2018, January 24). Chinese Astronauts: Dedicated to Space Flight, Remain True to Original Intention. Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- China 2. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Names of China's Secret Astronauts Revealed by Autographed Envelope. (2011, December 7). Space.com. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- 18 picked for nation's 3rd generation of astronauts. (n.d.). China Daily. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- China begins recruitment for 4th batch of astronauts. (2022, October 4). Space.com. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Jones, Andrew. (2024, June 11). China selects new batch of astronauts with an eye on the moon. SpaceNews. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
- Jones, Andrew. (2024, October 29). China selects 2 proposals for crewed moon rover. SpaceNews. Retrieved from [Source URL Placeholder]
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References
References
- China 2, spacefacts.de
- Space.com, "Names of China's Secret Astronauts Revealed by Autographed Envelope", Robert Z. Pearlman, 7 December 2011
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Important Notice
This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.
This is not professional advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional consultation or expertise in aerospace engineering, history, or related fields. Always refer to official documentation and consult with qualified professionals for specific inquiries.
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