All Astronauts
LEGENDActiveCNSA
LEGENDActiveCNSACNSA·🇨🇳 China·Born 1965
Yang Liwei
First Chinese citizen in space (October 15, 2003)
21h
Hours in Space
1
Missions
0
EVAs
—
EVA Time
What they aspire to
To see China establish a permanent presence in space and send taikonauts to the Moon.
Biography
First Chinese taikonaut. Orbited Earth 14 times aboard Shenzhou 5, making China the third nation to independently send a human to space.
Before NASAPeople's Liberation Army Air Force fighter pilot with more than 1,300 flight hours before being selected for China's first taikonaut group in 1998.
Records & Firsts
Notable accomplishments by Yang Liwei
- First Chinese citizen in space (October 15, 2003)
- First taikonaut
Mission Timeline
- Commander
Shenzhou spacecraft
Shenzhou 5
Launch: Oct 15, 2003Landing: Oct 16, 2003Duration: 1 day- First Chinese human spaceflight; 14 orbits of Earth
Beyond the Mission
Languages
Mandarin Chinese
Awards & Honors
- Space Hero (Chinese state honor)
- Order of Lotus (Pakistan)
Authored
- Nine Hours in Space(2010)
Fun fact
During his Shenzhou 5 flight he reported hearing a mysterious knocking sound on the capsule wall, later attributed by Chinese engineers to pressure differentials flexing the hull during reentry preparation.
Item flown to space
The flags of the People's Republic of China and the United Nations.
Learn More
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