Three astronauts Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengji and Jiang Xinlin before boarding the space ship – Photo: Reuters
These astronauts include Tang Hongbo (48 years old), Tang Shengji (35 years old) and Jiang Xinlin (33 years old). This is the team with the lowest average age (38 years) deployed since China began construction of the Thien Kung station – the first space station in space in the country of billions of people.
The three astronauts will perform a variety of tasks such as in-orbit practical experiments on space science and applied payloads, external payload installation, space station maintenance and repair, and performance evaluation. Assembly process work and cumulative benefits of the space station.
After completing the mission, they are expected to return to Earth in April 2024.
The Long March-2F booster rocket carrying the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the morning of October 26 – Photo: Reuters
The above six-month mission is being led by Thang Hong Ba, a 48-year-old former air force pilot. He had previously completed a space exploration mission on Shenzhou 12 in 2021.
Returning to the Tiangong orbital station in less than three years, Tang Hongba set a new record. This is the shortest break between two missions in space for a Chinese astronaut, indicating the country’s astronaut team’s ability to repeat missions in the coming years.
Earlier, Mr Tang Hongbo, part of China’s second batch of astronauts in 2010, had to wait more than a decade before being selected to participate in the first space flight in 2021.
Meanwhile, Tang Shengji and Jiang Xinlin are China’s third batch of astronauts in 2020. The country has now started the process of selecting the fourth batch of astronauts.
The country of billions of people said it is looking for candidates with doctoral degrees in fields ranging from biology, physics, chemistry, biomedical engineering to astronomy.
This is the first time that China has recruited applicants from Hong Kong and Macau.
The first and second batches of astronauts were all former Air Force pilots. For example, astronaut Thang Hongbo served with the People’s Liberation Army in 1995.
(TagstoTranslate)astronaut
