Chinese women in space

In 2012, China became the third nation to send women into space with its own space program, after the Soviet Union/Russia and the United States, 49 years after the first female cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova.

Liu Yang, the first Chinese woman in space

History
Wang Yaping, the first Chinese woman to walk in space

Following the successful piloted flight of Shenzhou 5 in October 2003, China announced plans to send a woman into space as well. Gu Xiulian, president of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), told a gathering that she proposed that women, too, should be trained for space missions after China's first piloted space trip.[1]

Initially, the criteria for women to be selected, included having been married, having had a child, having no bad health problems.[2] The marriage and having had children criteria were later said to have been dropped.[3]

On 16 June 2012, Major Liu Yang was the first Chinese woman launched into space aboard the Shenzhou 9 with two male counterparts to the Chinese space station Tiangong-1. Liu was not drawn from the fighter pilot cadre, but instead is a veteran PLAAF transport pilot. The mission took off at 6:37 p.m. (10:37 UTC) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert.[4] She launched on the 49th anniversary of the launch of Vostok 6, the first spaceshot of a woman, Valentina Tereshkova.[5]

On 16 June 2013, the 50th anniversary of the launch of Vostok 6, two women were in space, one of them Chinese, the second Chinese woman in space, Wang Yaping, aboard Tiangong-1 on the 3-man Shenzhou 10 mission, and Karen Nyberg on the 6-man Expedition 36 aboard the International Space Station.[6] The mission had lifted off on 11 June 2013.[7]

Zhou Chengyu, a 24-year-old Chinese engineer, was a commander in the Chang'e 5 Moon exploration programme, launched on 23 November 2020.[8]

On 15 October 2021, Colonel Wang Yaping was the first Chinese woman to travel twice to space aboard Shenzhou 13 with two male counterparts to the Tiangong space station.[9] The mission took off at 00:23 a.m. (16:23 UTC) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert.

List of Chinese women in space by mission
These women are Chinese who have flown into space
Name Mission Date Notes
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 December 4, 2022.

Firsts
First Date Mission Name Notes
First Chinese woman in space 16 June 2012 Shenzhou 9 Liu Yang [10]
First Chinese woman in orbit 16 June 2012 Shenzhou 9 Liu Yang [11]
First Chinese woman aboard a space station 18 June 2012 Shenzhou 9 Liu Yang Liu Yang goes aboard Tiangong-1 space station

[12]

First Chinese woman to spacewalk 7 November 2021 Shenzhou 13 Wang Yaping [9]
First Chinese woman to command a mission N/A N/A none
First Chinese woman to go on multiple missions 15 October 2021 Shenzhou 13 Wang Yaping [9]
Records
Title Data Taikonaut Notes
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 missions 2 missions Wang Yaping
Liu Yang
Least space missions
Most EVAs 2 EVAs Wang Yaping
Liu Yang
Least EVAs

See also

References

Citations
  1. "China recruiting women for space travel".
  2. Mark MacKinnon (11 June 2012). "Want to be a female taikonaut in China? You better smell good, and no scars". Globe and Mail.
  3. "Exclusive interview: Astronauts selection process". CCTV. 16 June 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  4. "June 16, 2012 7:07 AM PrintText China sends its first woman into space". CBS News. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  5. Clara Moskowit (15 June 2012). "China Unveils Astronaut Crew, 1st Female Spaceflyer, for Saturday Launch". Space.com. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  6. Ken Kremer (16 June 2013). "Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova; 1st Woman in Space 50 Years Ago! Ready for Mars". Universe Today.
  7. Andy Wong (11 June 2013). "Shenzhou 10 Launch: Chinese Spacecraft Blasts Off With Three Astronauts On 15-Day Mission". Huffington Post.
  8. "The woman behind China's Chang'e-5 Moon mission". BBC. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  9. "China unveils Shenzhou 13 crew for next mission to Tiangong space station". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  10. Srinivas Laxman (16 June 2012). "Shenzhou-9 Launches into Space With China's First Woman Astronaut". Asian Scientist.
  11. Jason Davis (16 June 2012). "Shenzhou-9 reaches orbit". Planetary Society.
  12. Jonathan Amos (18 June 2012). "Shenzhou-9 docks with Tiangong-1". BBC News.

Sources
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