Chinese women in space

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As of 2024, the People's Republic of China has sent two women to space: Liu Yang and Wang Yaping, both taikonauts in the People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC). Liu Yang, China's first female taikonaut, first flew in 2012 aboard Shenzhou 9, and since then three additional missions have included female crew members: Shenzhou 10, 13, and 14. According to the China National Space Administration, many women also hold leadership positions in the Chinese space program, and actively contribute to the Chinese space effort. [1]

Contents

History

China launched its first crewed space mission, Shenzhou 5, in 2003, with a single male taikonaut (Yang Liwei) aboard. Following the mission's success, Gu Xiulian, president of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), recommended to the Chinese space program that women should be considered for spaceflight selection. This recommendation was accepted, and was publicly announced in early 2004. [2] Women's integration into the space program necessitated minor changes to the interior design of the Shenzhou spacecraft to accommodate both male and female taikonauts. [2]

Although women were officially allowed to become taikonauts as of 2004, the first Chinese spaceflight with a female crewmember was not launched until 2012. [3] This mission, Shenzhou 9, included taikonaut Liu Yang as Laboratory Assistant, making her the first Chinese woman to fly in space. Shenzhou 9 was launched on 16 June 2012, the 49th launch anniversary of Vostok 6, the first mission to put a woman (Soviet parachutist Valentina Tereshkova) into space.

On 11 June 2013, Shenzhou 10 launched with taikonaut Wang Yaping aboard as Laboratory Assistant, making her the second Chinese woman in space. [4] Wang Yaping became the first Chinese woman to travel to space twice and the first to visit the Tiangong space station in October of 2021, when she launched aboard Shenzhou 13. [5]

Liu Yang would return to space in 2022, flying aboard Shenzhou 14. [6]

Female taikonauts

Liu Yang

Liu Yang, the first Chinese woman in space LIU Yang CUHK 2012.JPG
Liu Yang, the first Chinese woman in space

Liu Yang became the first female Chinese taikonaut in 2012. [7] [8] Throughout her astronautical career, Liu has been awarded the title of “Heroic Astronaut” and received the Third-class Space Service Medal for her work abord the Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-14 missions, respectively. [9]

Showing exemplary academic performance in her formative schooling years, Liu’s professors signed her up in 1997 to attend the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Air Force Aviation University in Changchun to become a pilot. [7] [10] Liu excelled in her training flying cargo planes and eventually became the Deputy Head of her flying unit. [10] In May 2010, Yang was approached by the PLA’s taikonaut corps with an offer to join. [8]

Liu flew her first mission aboard the Shenzhou-9 in 2012, during which the three-person crew achieved China’s first manned docking mission by joining with the Tiangong-1 experimental space station. [7] [10] [11] On this mission, Liu performed the first manual docking of the flight and was in charge of medical experiments throughout the flight’s duration. [9] [8] The taikonauts returned 12 days after takeoff. [9]

After returning to Earth, Liu became a representative in the 13th National People’s Congress and the vice president of the All-China Women’s Federation. [9]

Liu returned to space in 2022 aboard the Shenzhou-14, with the goal of staying on the Tiangong space station for six months to oversee the final portions of construction. [9] [10]

Wang Yaping

Wang Yaping, the first Chinese woman to walk in space Wang Yaping at Shenzhou-13 launch.jpg
Wang Yaping, the first Chinese woman to walk in space

Wang Yaping’s space career began in 2013 aboard the Shenzhou-10 where she became the second female taikonaut. [12] During this mission, Wang and her two colleagues successfully docked, undocked, and boarded the Tiangong-1. [12] From the space station, she gave a live-streamed physics lesson to around 80,000 schools, reaching 60 million students and teachers. [12] [11] Wang returned to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-10 15 days after takeoff. [12] [11]

Wang returned to space on the Shenzhou-13 on 15 October 2021, becoming the first female to live onboard the Tiangong space station. [11] On 8 November 2023, she completed a 6.5 hour spacewalk making her the 16th female astronaut and first female taikonaut to do so. [13] Wang returned to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-13 in April 2022, 182 days after takeoff. [14] Wang and her 2 colleagues set a record for most days in orbit by any Taikonaut. [14]

Obstacles

According to Jun Lu, Senior Engineer at Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications Technology and Deputy Chief Designer of BeiDou Grounded Test and Validation System, “[women’s] qualities of being meticulous, dedicated, responsible and their ability to work under high pressure for a long time” allow them to thrive in the field due to the “high risk and long development cycle” of space technology development. [15] However, Chinese taikonaut academies institute more stringent qualifications for female taikonauts than their male counterparts. [16] Due to fears that childbirth and subsequent family obligations would disrupt training for two to three years, taikonaut academies favor women who are married and already have children. [16] Additionally, women are more closely examined for scars, heavy odors, and decayed teeth, as these traits could cause “disaster” in space. [17]

Prior to the launch of Shenzhou 9, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported a former spaceflight official as claiming that marriage was a requirement for all female Chinese astronauts [18] due to concerns that spaceflight could potentially harm women's fertility [19] and also "married women would be more physically and psychologically mature." [20] However, this requirement has been officially denied by the director of the China Astronaut Centre, stating that this is a preference but not a strict limitation. [21]

When interviewing women taikonauts, the media was more interested in their family lives and female physiology than when interviewing male taikonauts. [22] Questions regarding menstruation are often brought up as well. [22]

Pang Zhihao, a Chinese National Space Administration official, claims women taikonauts should also look their best at all times. [22] He revealed that both Tiangong-1 and Tiangong were stocked with hygiene products and cosmetics during Wang Yaping’s missions. [22] In a video broadcast by China Central Television, he declares that "[f]emale astronauts may be in better condition after putting on makeup”. [22]

Non-taikonaut personnel

A study published in the National Science Review found that women make up a large portion of space engineers working on Chinese missions. [15] The Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has three Chinese women leading the project as sub-system chief designers, with others filling senior positions such as deputy commanders and deputy chief engineers. [15]

One notable woman working on China’s space program is 24-year-old Zhou Chengyu, the first and youngest female space commander in China. [23] She first began working at the Wenchang site as an operator after she graduated from university at the beginning of 2020 and, by the end of the year, had become the commander of her unit. [23] She worked on the rocket connector system for the Chang’e-5 moon mission, which aimed to collect moon rocks for scientific testing. Chang’e-5 successfully launched in December 2020. [23] Zhou went viral on social media for her accomplishments, with many users calling her a "frontline soldier in the field of aerospace" and a "big sister". [24]

List of Chinese women in space by mission

NameMissionDateNotes
Liu Yang Shenzhou 9
Shenzhou 14 		2012
2022		First Chinese woman in space, and first mission to the Tiangong-1 space station
Wang Yaping Shenzhou 10
Shenzhou 13 		2013
2021–2022		Second Chinese women in space, and second one to the Tiangong-1 space station
First Chinese woman to travel twice to space, first one to the Tiangong space station and first to walk in space

Firsts and records

Updated as of November 8, 2023.

Firsts
FirstDateMissionNameNotes
First Chinese woman in space16 June 2012 Shenzhou 9 Liu Yang [25]
First Chinese woman in orbit16 June 2012 Shenzhou 9 Liu Yang [26]
First Chinese woman aboard a space station18 June 2012 Shenzhou 9 Liu Yang Liu Yang goes aboard Tiangong-1 space station

[27]

First Chinese woman to spacewalk7 November 2021 Shenzhou 13 Wang Yaping [28]
First Chinese woman to command a missionN/AN/Anone
First Chinese woman to go on multiple missions15 October 2021 Shenzhou 13 Wang Yaping [28]
Records
TitleDataTaikonaut
Longest time in space (single mission)182 days, 9 hours and 32 minutes (Shenzhou 13) Wang Yaping
Longest time in space (cumulative)197 days and 1 minute (Shenzhou 10 and Shenzhou 13) Wang Yaping
Shortest time in space (single mission)12 days, 15 hours and 25 minutes (Shenzhou 9) Liu Yang
Shortest time in space (cumulative)195 days and 50 minutes (Shenzhou 9 and Shenzhou 14) Liu Yang
Longest time on EVA (single spacewalk)6 hours 25 minutes (Shenzhou 13) Wang Yaping
Longest time on EVA (cumulative)6 hours 25 minutes (Shenzhou 13) Wang Yaping
Shortest time on EVA (single spacewalk)6 hours 7 minutes (Shenzhou 14) Liu Yang
Shortest time on EVA (cumulative)6 hours 7 minutes (Shenzhou 14) Liu Yang
Most space missions2 missions Wang Yaping
Liu Yang

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhai Zhigang</span> Chinese military officer and taikonaut

Zhai Zhigang is a Chinese major general of the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) in active service as a People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonaut. During the Shenzhou 7 mission in 2008, he became the first Chinese citizen to carry out a spacewalk. He was a People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) fighter pilot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nie Haisheng</span> Chinese taikonaut and fighter pilot

Nie Haisheng is a major general of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) in active service as an taikonaut and the third commander of the PLA Astronaut Corps (PLAAC). He was a PLA Air Force fighter pilot and director of navigation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jing Haipeng</span> Chinese taikonaut (born 1966)

Jing Haipeng is a major general of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) in active service as a vice-commander of the 82nd Group Army. A fighter pilot in the PLA Air Force (PLAAF), he was selected to be a PLA Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) astronaut in 1998. He was the first Chinese astronaut to have flown on more than one mission and remains the only one to have flown on four. He also held the Chinese record for longest time spent in space from 2016 to 2021 and again from 2023, until his record was overtaken by Tang Hongbo in February 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiangong space station</span> Chinese space station in low Earth orbit

Tiangong, officially the Tiangong space station, is a permanently crewed space station constructed by China and operated by China Manned Space Agency in low Earth orbit between 340 and 450 km above the surface. It is China's first long-term space station, part of the Tiangong program and the core of the "Third Step" of the China Manned Space Program; it has a pressurised volume of 340 m3, slightly over one third the size of the International Space Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenzhou 9</span> 2012 Chinese crewed spaceflight to Tiangong-1

Shenzhou 9 was the fourth crewed spacecraft flight of China's Shenzhou program, launched at 18:37:24 CST, 16 June 2012. Shenzhou 9 was the second spacecraft and first crewed mission and expedition to dock with the Tiangong-1 space station, which took place on 18 June. The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft landed at 10:01:16 CST on 29 June in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The mission's crew included the first Chinese female astronaut, Liu Yang. The next mission was Shenzhou 10, which launched on 11 June 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenzhou 10</span> 2013 Chinese crewed spaceflight to Tiangong-1

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">China Manned Space Program</span> Spaceflight programme in China

The China Manned Space Program, also known as Project 921 is a space program developed by the People's Republic of China and run by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) under the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission, designed to develop and enhance human spaceflight capabilities for China. It was approved on 21 September 1992 and has been in operation ever since. The CMS commander and director are currently Xu Xueqiang and Zhou Jianping respectively; the latter has held this position since 2006, after taking over from Wang Yongzhi, who served as the first director from 1992 to 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiangong-1</span> Chinese prototype space station in orbit from 2011 to 2018

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wang Yaping</span> Chinese taikonaut

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liu Yang (taikonaut)</span> Chinese taikonaut (born 1978)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chen Dong (taikonaut)</span> Chinese fighter pilot and taikonaut

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenzhou 13</span> 2021 Chinese crewed spaceflight to the Tiangong Space Station

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenzhou 12</span> 2021 Chinese crewed spaceflight to the Tiangong Space Station

Shenzhou 12 was a Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, launched on 17 June 2021. It carried three People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. The mission was the seventh crewed Chinese spaceflight and the twelfth flight overall of the Shenzhou program. It was the first flight to Tiangong, and the first Chinese crewed spaceflight since Shenzhou 11 in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tang Hongbo</span> Chinese taikonaut (born 1975)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenzhou 14</span> 2022 Chinese crewed spaceflight to the Tiangong Space Station

Shenzhou 14 was a Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, launched on 5 June 2022. It carried three People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. The mission was the ninth crewed Chinese spaceflight and the fourteenth flight overall of the Shenzhou program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenzhou 15</span> 2022 Chinese crewed spaceflight to the Tiangong Space Station

Shenzhou 15 was a Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, launched on 29 November 2022. It carried three People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. The mission was the tenth crewed Chinese spaceflight and the fifteenth flight overall of the Shenzhou program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenzhou 16</span> 2023 Chinese crewed spaceflight to the Tiangong space station

Shenzhou 16 was a Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, launched on 30 May 2023. It carried two People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts and a payload specialist from Beihang University on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. The mission was the eleventh crewed Chinese spaceflight and the sixteenth flight overall of the Shenzhou program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenzhou 17</span> 2023 Chinese crewed spaceflight to the Tiangong space station

Shenzhou 17 is a Chinese spaceflight to the Tiangong space station, launched on 26 October 2023. It carries three People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (PLAAC) taikonauts on board a Shenzhou spacecraft. The mission is the twelfth crewed Chinese spaceflight and the seventeenth flight overall of the Shenzhou program.

References

Citations

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  4. ↑ "Shenzhou-10: China's longest crewed space mission". CNN. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Gray, Tyler (16 April 2022). "Shenzhou-13 mission ends with safe return of Chinese taikonaut trio". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  6. ↑ Jones, Andrew (4 December 2022). "China's Shenzhou 14 astronauts return to Earth after helping build Tiangong space station". Space.com. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
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  24. ↑ "The woman behind China's Chang'e-5 Moon mission". BBC News. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
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  26. ↑ Jason Davis (16 June 2012). "Shenzhou-9 reaches orbit". Planetary Society.
  27. ↑ Jonathan Amos (18 June 2012). "Shenzhou-9 docks with Tiangong-1". BBC News.
  28. 1 2 "China unveils Shenzhou 13 crew for next mission to Tiangong space station". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 15 October 2021.

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