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VETERANActiveCNSA
VETERANActiveCNSACNSA·🇨🇳 China·Born 1986
Zhu Yangzhu
China's first spaceflight engineer in orbit, flying on Shenzhou 16.
154d
Days in Space
2
Missions
1
EVAs
8h
EVA Time
Biography
China's first spaceflight engineer in orbit, flying on Shenzhou 16. Returned as commander of Shenzhou 23 — the first Chinese flight engineer to command a mission.
Before NASAAssociate professor at the PLA Strategic Support Force Space Engineering University, conducting postdoctoral research in aerodynamics and fluid dynamics before selection to China's third taikonaut group in 2020.
Mission Timeline
- Flight Engineer
Shenzhou spacecraft
Shenzhou 16
Launch: May 30, 2023Landing: Oct 31, 2023Duration: 154 days- China's first spaceflight engineer in orbit
- Commander
Shenzhou spacecraft
Shenzhou 23
Launch: May 24, 2026Landing: OngoingDuration: 180 days- First Chinese flight engineer to command a space mission
Beyond the Mission
Languages
Chinese (Mandarin)
Fun fact
Despite failing the Air Force pilot entrance exam twice as a teenager, Zhu persisted and became a PLA senior colonel-engineer who completed a 7-hour 55-minute spacewalk on his first mission — and returned to Tiangong as commander on Shenzhou 23.
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