Zhai Zhigang
Encyclopedia
Zhai Zhigang is an officer in the People's Liberation Army Air Force
and a CNSA
astronaut
. During the Shenzhou 7
mission in 2008, he became the first Chinese citizen to carry out a spacewalk.
, Qiqihar
, Heilongjiang
province. He enrolled at the People's Liberation Army Air Force
Aviation Institute and studied to be a fighter pilot and then as a squadron leader. Zhai became a Lieutenant Colonel
and pilot trainer in the PLAAF after logging 1000 hours of flying time.
(神舟五号) flight. Yang Liwei
was picked for the flight, with Zhai Zhigang ranked second ahead of Nie Haisheng
. Zhai was one of the six astronauts in the final training for Shenzhou 6
(神舟六号). The Ta Kung Pao
newspaper had reported that Zhai Zhigang and Nie Haisheng were the leading pair, after having been in the final group of three for Shenzhou 5
. However, Zhai had been paired with Wu Jie
during training. Fei Junlong
and Nie Haisheng flew the flight.
Zhai, along with Liu Boming
and Jing Haipeng was selected for prime crew on Shenzhou 7
(神舟七号), with Zhai as commander, on 17 September 2008. On 25 September 2008, at 21:10 CST, they launched into space as the first three-man crew for China, China's third human spaceflight
mission. On 27 September 2008, Zhai became the first Chinese astronaut to spacewalk, completely outside the craft. Fellow crew member Liu Boming
stood by at the airlock and could be seen straddling the portal. Zhai successfully completed his spacewalk at 18:25 CST. Zhai wore the Chinese developed Feitian space suit
(飞天), while Liu wore the Russian derived Orlan-M space suit, translated in Chinese as Haiying or "Sea Eagle" (海鹰).
, dancing
and gadgets. He is married to Zhang Shujing and has one son.
People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
and a CNSA
China National Space Administration
The China National Space Administration is the national space agency of the People's Republic of China responsible for the national space program. It is responsible for planning and development of space activities...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. During the Shenzhou 7
Shenzhou 7
- Backup crew :Of the back-up crew, only Chen Quan had not previously flown in space.- Mission highlights :The Long March 2F rocket launched the Shenzhou 7 into an initial elliptical orbit of 200 x 330 kilometres inclined at 42.4 degrees on 25 September 2008. About seven hours later the spacecraft...
mission in 2008, he became the first Chinese citizen to carry out a spacewalk.
Early career
Zhai was born in Longjiang CountyLongjiang County
Longjiang is a county in Qiqihar in the northern province of Heilongjiang of the People's Republic of China. It is the home of astronaut Zhai Zhigang.The county has an area of 61.97 km² and a population of approximately 600,000....
, Qiqihar
Qiqihar
- Subdivisions :Qiqihar is divided into 16 divisions: 7 districts , 8 counties and 1 county-level city .-Economy:...
, Heilongjiang
Heilongjiang
For the river known in Mandarin as Heilong Jiang, see Amur River' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. "Heilongjiang" literally means Black Dragon River, which is the Chinese name for the Amur. The one-character abbreviation is 黑...
province. He enrolled at the People's Liberation Army Air Force
People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
Aviation Institute and studied to be a fighter pilot and then as a squadron leader. Zhai became a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and pilot trainer in the PLAAF after logging 1000 hours of flying time.
CNSA career
In 1996, Zhai was selected to trial for the astronaut program and was selected to be the first group of fourteen in 1998. He was one of three members of the final group to train for the Shenzhou 5Shenzhou 5
Shenzhou 5 — was the first human spaceflight mission of the People's Republic of China , launched on October 15, 2003. The Shenzhou spacecraft was launched on a Long March 2F launch vehicle. There had been four previous flights of unmanned Shenzhou missions since 1999...
(神舟五号) flight. Yang Liwei
Yang Liwei
Yáng Lìwěi is a Chinese major general and military pilot and a CNSA astronaut. He was the first man sent into space by the Chinese space program and his mission, Shenzhou 5, made China the third country to independently send people into space.-Background:...
was picked for the flight, with Zhai Zhigang ranked second ahead of Nie Haisheng
Nie Haisheng
Colonel Niè Hǎishèng is a Chinese military pilot and CNSA astronaut .-Military career:Nie was born in Yangdang town of Zaoyang, Hubei Province. After graduating from high school he joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force and became a fighter pilot. During his training at the PLAAF's No...
. Zhai was one of the six astronauts in the final training for Shenzhou 6
Shenzhou 6
Shenzhou 6 was the second human spaceflight of the People's Republic of China, launched on October 12, 2005 on a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Shenzhou spacecraft carried a crew of Fèi Jùnlóng and Niè Hǎishèng for five days in low Earth orbit...
(神舟六号). The Ta Kung Pao
Ta Kung Pao
Ta Kung Pao is the oldest active Chinese language newspaper in China. It is based in Hong Kong and has been funded by the government of the People's Republic of China since 1949...
newspaper had reported that Zhai Zhigang and Nie Haisheng were the leading pair, after having been in the final group of three for Shenzhou 5
Shenzhou 5
Shenzhou 5 — was the first human spaceflight mission of the People's Republic of China , launched on October 15, 2003. The Shenzhou spacecraft was launched on a Long March 2F launch vehicle. There had been four previous flights of unmanned Shenzhou missions since 1999...
. However, Zhai had been paired with Wu Jie
Wu Jie
Wu Jie is a Chinese military pilot and astronaut selected as part of the Shenzhou program.-Biography:He was born in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China. In 1987 he graduated from the People's Liberation Army Air Force Engineering College and later the PLAAF Flight College...
during training. Fei Junlong
Fei Junlong
Colonel Fei Junlong is a Chinese military pilot and an astronaut. He flew on the second manned spaceflight of the Shenzhou program....
and Nie Haisheng flew the flight.
Zhai, along with Liu Boming
Liu Boming (astronaut)
Liu Boming is a Chinese pilot selected as part of the Shenzhou program. A fighter pilot in the People's Liberation Army Air Force, he was selected to be an CNSA member in 1998.-CNSA career:...
and Jing Haipeng was selected for prime crew on Shenzhou 7
Shenzhou 7
- Backup crew :Of the back-up crew, only Chen Quan had not previously flown in space.- Mission highlights :The Long March 2F rocket launched the Shenzhou 7 into an initial elliptical orbit of 200 x 330 kilometres inclined at 42.4 degrees on 25 September 2008. About seven hours later the spacecraft...
(神舟七号), with Zhai as commander, on 17 September 2008. On 25 September 2008, at 21:10 CST, they launched into space as the first three-man crew for China, China's third human spaceflight
Human spaceflight
Human spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....
mission. On 27 September 2008, Zhai became the first Chinese astronaut to spacewalk, completely outside the craft. Fellow crew member Liu Boming
Liu Boming (astronaut)
Liu Boming is a Chinese pilot selected as part of the Shenzhou program. A fighter pilot in the People's Liberation Army Air Force, he was selected to be an CNSA member in 1998.-CNSA career:...
stood by at the airlock and could be seen straddling the portal. Zhai successfully completed his spacewalk at 18:25 CST. Zhai wore the Chinese developed Feitian space suit
Feitian space suit
A Feitian space suit is a Chinese spacesuit that was developed for the Shenzhou 7. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang wore it during China's first-ever extra-vehicular activity on September 27, 2008....
(飞天), while Liu wore the Russian derived Orlan-M space suit, translated in Chinese as Haiying or "Sea Eagle" (海鹰).
Personal life
Zhai's favourite pastimes are calligraphyCalligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
, dancing
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and gadgets. He is married to Zhang Shujing and has one son.
External links
- Zhai Zhigang at the Encyclopedia AstronauticaEncyclopedia AstronauticaThe Encyclopedia Astronautica is a reference web site on space travel. A comprehensive catalog of vehicles, technology, astronauts, and flights, it includes information from most countries that have had an active rocket research program, from Robert Goddard to the NASA Space shuttle to the Soviet...
. Accessed 22 July 2005. - Spacefacts biography of Zhai Zhigang