Yang Liwei

Yang Liwei
杨利伟
CNSA Astronaut
Nationality Chinese
Status Active
Born (1965-06-21) 21 June 1965
Suizhong, Huludao, Liaoning, China
Other occupation
 Fighter pilot
Rank Major general, PLAAF
Time in space
 21 hours, 22 minutes, 45 seconds
Selection Chinese Group 1
Missions Shenzhou 5
Mission insignia

Yang Liwei (simplified Chinese: 杨利伟; traditional Chinese: 楊利偉; pinyin: Yáng Lìwěi ) (born 21 June 1965) is a major general, military pilot, and China National Space Administration astronaut. In 2003, he became the first person sent into space by the Chinese space program. This mission, Shenzhou 5, made China the third country to independently send humans into space.

Background

Yang was born in Suizhong County, Huludao, Liaoning province.[1] His mother was a teacher, and his father was an accountant at a state agricultural firm.[2] Yang Liwei's wife is also a People's Liberation Army (PLA) officer, with whom he has a son.[3]

In 1983, he was admitted to the Number 2 PLAAF Flight Academy (空军第2飞行学院) and graduated four years later. He participated in the screening process for astronauts in 1996.[4]

In the PLAAF, he logged 1350 hours of flight time as a fighter pilot before he went to space training.[1]

Spaceflight career

Yang was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1998 and has trained for space flight since then.[2] He was chosen from the final pool of 13 candidates to fly on China's first manned space mission. A former fighter pilot in the Aviation Military Unit of the PLA, he held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel at the time of his mission.[2] He was promoted to full Colonel on 20 October 2003.[5] According to the Youth Daily, the decision had been made in advance of his spaceflight, but Yang was not made aware of it.[5]

He was launched into space aboard his Shenzhou 5 spacecraft atop a Long March 2F rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 09:00 CST (01:00 UTC) on 15 October 2003.[6] Prior to his launch almost nothing was made public about the Chinese astronaut candidates; his selection for the Shenzhou 5 launch was only leaked to the media one day before the launch.[1]

Yang Liwei has reported the apparition of abnormal vibrations 120 seconds after launch, he described as "very uncomfortable". As a consequence, corrective measures were swiftly taken to the design of the following CZ-2F carrier rocket for the Shenzhou-6.[7]

Yang punctuated his journey with regular updates on his condition—variations of "I feel good", the last coming as the capsule floated to the ground after re-entry.[3][8] He spoke to his wife as the Shenzhou 5 started its eighth circuit around the Earth, assuring her from space: "I feel very good, don't worry".[3][8] He ate specially designed packets of shredded pork with garlic, Kung Pao chicken and eight treasure rice, along with Chinese herbal tea.[5] In the middle of the journey, state television broadcast footage of Yang waving a small flag of the People's Republic of China and that of the United Nations inside his capsule.[5][8]

State media said Yang's capsule was supplied with a gun, a knife and tent in case he landed in the wrong place.[8]

Yang's craft landed in the grasslands of the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia at around 06:30 CST on October 16, 2003 (22:00 UTC), having completed 14 orbits and travelled more than 600,000 km.[8] Yang left the capsule about 15 minutes after landing, and was congratulated by Premier Wen Jiabao.[8] But the astronaut's bleeding lips seen in the official images broadcast sparked rumours of a hard landing confirmed by accounts of personnel present at the landing site.[9]

Although the first Chinese citizen in space, Yang Liwei is not the first person of Chinese origin in space. Shanghai-born Taylor Wang flew on Space Shuttle mission STS-51-B in 1985.[10] Wang, however, had become a United States citizen in 1975.[10]

Yang visited Hong Kong on 31 October 2003, holding talks and sharing his experiences during a six-day stay in the territory.[11] The visit coincided with an exhibition that featured his reentry capsule, spacesuit and leftover food from his 21-hour mission. On November 5, he travelled to Macau.[11]

On 7 November, Yang received the title of "Space Hero" from Jiang Zemin, the Chairman of the PRC Central Military Commission (CMC).[1] He also received a badge of honour during a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. Russia awarded him the Gagarin medal.[12] The Chinese University of Hong Kong has given Yang an honorary doctorate.[1]

The asteroid 21064 Yangliwei and the fossil bird Dalingheornis liweii are named after him.[1][13]

After Shenzhou 5

In a move similar to that taken by the Soviet Union with national space flight hero Yuri Gagarin, an official decision to no longer assign him to spaceflight missions was made. Yang was promoted to Major General on 22 July 2008.[14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Guang, Yang (24 January 2011). "Mission Possible for Yang Liwei". China Daily. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Ong, Hwee Hwee (16 October 2003). "Fighter pilot Yang - average student, superb self-control.". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Chinese astronaut calls family from space (details added).". Xinhua News Agency. 15 October 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  4. ↑ Seedhouse, Erik (2009). "The New Space Race: China vs. USA". Springer. ISBN 144190879X.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Jiang, Guocheng (19 October 2003). "China's first astronaut promoted.". Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  6. ↑ "President Hu hails successful launch of Shenzhou V". People's Daily. 15 October 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  7. ↑ ""神七"运载火箭完成总装和出厂测试 今将出征". 中国新闻网. 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rhoads, Brian (16 October 2003). "China's first manned space flight ends in success.". Reuters. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "杨利伟："职业航天员是我的事业和人生追求"". 新华网. September 29, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  10. 1 2 "China looks to moon - Chinese shuttle astronaut.". AFP. 17 October 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  11. 1 2 Burning, Harald (6 November 2003). "Macau flag-wavers give astronaut a warm welcome.". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  12. ↑ China Daily. http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-08/20/content_470775.htm
  13. ↑ Zhang, Z., Hou, L., Hasegawa, Y., O'Connor, J., Martin, L.D. and Chiappe, L.M. (2006). "The first Mesozoic heterodactyl bird from China." Acta Geologica Sinica, 80(5): 631-635.
  14. ↑ "我国首位"太空人"杨利伟被授予少将军衔(图)". 北方网. July 22, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
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