China has made history by sending its youngest ever three-person astronaut crew to the Tiangong Space Station. The announcement of the three astronauts – Chen Dong, Zhai Zhigang, and Nie Haisheng – was made on 29th October 2020, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China.
The trio was launched on the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft, a part of the Chinese mission to Tiangong. This spacecraft is the country’s fifth and final expedition to the Tiangong Space Station, China’s only permanently-inhabited space facility.
The the three astronauts sent by China on the Shenzhou 11 mission are the youngest crew ever sent into space by the country. The average age of the crew is just 39 years old, making it a virtually unprecedented move by an established space-traveling nation. Before this mission, China had limited crew size to two for its last four flights.
The most junior member of the crew was Chen Dong, making him the youngest ever Chinese astronaut. At just 35 years old, Chen has made history by becoming the youngest human to ever be sent to space on a mission led by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Chen, a major in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, was selected as the second-in-command of the mission. The other two astronauts are also experienced pilots, both born in the 1970s.
The trio is expected to spend 30 days in space, carrying out several scientific experiments in areas such as microgravity physics, biology, and astronomy. They are also set to carry out repair and replacement tasks on the space station’s exterior components.
The mission marks a significant step forward for China in its bid to become a prominent player in space exploration. China has placed itself firmly at the forefront among the major space-faring nations. This feat has been made possible by the country’s commitment to technological advancement and space exploration.
The astronauts’ successful and safe landing back in 2020 marked the completion of the Shenzhou 11 mission, and solidified China’s up-and-coming status in space exploration. China has placed its youngest ever crew on the Tiangong space station, and shows no signs of letting up as it continues to push the boundaries of space exploration.