Date of Birth: Oct. 10, 1966
Age: 58
Zhai Zhigang (born October 10, 1966) is a major general 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.
This is the third crewed mission for China's Shenzhou program. Shenzhou-7 began its mission by bringing Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng into low Earth orbit. It was the first Chinese mission to have a three-person crew. During their 3 days in orbit, astronauts performed a number of tasks, including the first Chinese EVA carried out by Zhai Zhingang and Liu Boming. Shenzhou-7 deorbited and landed safely back on Earth on 28 September.
Low Earth OrbitSecond crewed flight to the Chinese Tiangong space station carrying Zhai Zhigang, commander, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu, operators, on their second, second and first spaceflight respectively. Their mission duration onboard the TSS is 6 months, the longest so far in Chinese spaceflight.
Low Earth OrbitThe China National Space Administration (CNSA) is the national space agency of the People's Republic of China. It is responsible for the national space program and for planning and development of space activities. CNSA and China Aerospace Corporation (CASC) assumed the authority over space development efforts previously held by the Ministry of Aerospace Industry. The CNSA has many launch sites around China with their orbital sites located in Jiuquan, Xichang, Taiyuan and Wenchang.
A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Ninth crewed flight to the Chinese space station.
Dedicated rideshare flight to a mid-inclination orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.
32nd commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. The flight will be conducted under the second Commer…
Tenth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office to…