Zhai Zhigang
{{Short description|Chinese military officer and taikonaut (born 1966)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Family name hatnote|Zhai|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox astronaut
| name = Zhai Zhigang
| native_name = {{nobold|翟志刚}}
| image = Zhai Zhigang.JPG
| image_size = 220px
| caption = Zhai in 2008
| type = PLAAC Taikonaut
| status = Active
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|10|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = Longjiang County, Heilongjiang, China
| alma_mater = PLA Air Force Aviation University
| death_date =
| death_place =
| previous_occupation = Fighter pilot, PLAAF
| current_occupation =
| rank = Major General, PLASSF
| space_time = 185 days, 5 hours and 59 minutes
| selection = Chinese Group 1
| evas = 3
| eva_time = 12 hours 58 minutes{{cite web|title=Zhai Zhigang - EVA experience|url=http://www.spacefacts.de/eva/taikonauts/english/zhai_zhigang.htm|access-date=27 December 2021}}
| missions = Shenzhou 7, Shenzhou 13
| insignia =
| retirement =
| module = {{Infobox Chinese
|child = yes
|order = st
|s = 翟志刚
|t = 翟志剛
|p = Zhái Zhìgāng
}}
}}
Zhai Zhigang ({{zh|c=翟志刚|p=Zhái Zhìgāng}}; born 11 October 1966{{cite tweet|url=https://twitter.com/yangyuguang1/status/1579667284758786049|title=Happy birthday to Mr. Zhai Zhigang, the first space walker of China! He is also a member of @ASE_Astronauts |number=1579667284758786049|user=yangyuguang1|access-date=November 25, 2022}}) 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.{{cite news|title=Chinese astronaut takes historic walk in space|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-space/chinese-astronaut-takes-historic-walk-in-space-idUSTRE48Q0RY20080927|date=September 26, 2008|access-date=November 25, 2022|publisher=Reuters}} He was a People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) fighter pilot.
Early life and education
Zhai was born in a rural village on 11 October 1966.{{cite journal |language=zh |author1=Yang Xueyi ({{lang|zh|杨雪义}})|script-title=zh:翟志刚落地了，我们的心也跟着落地了 |trans-title=Zhai Zhigang has landed, and our hearts have also landed with him |pages=12–13 |volume=368 |journal=Youth Digest |location=Beijing |publisher=China Youth Press |year=2022 |issn=1673-4955}} He is the youngest of six children. He attended Longjiang County No. 2 High School. He enrolled at the PLA Air Force Aviation University and studied to be a fighter pilot and then as a squadron leader.
Air Force career
Zhai became a lieutenant colonel and pilot trainer in the PLAAF after logging 1000 hours of flying time.{{cite web |url = http://www.022net.com/2008/9-22/444958323049928.html |script-title=zh:航天英雄翟志刚刘伯明天津杨村起飞 |website = 人民网·天津视窗 |language=zh |access-date=2010-01-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100405070547/http://www.022net.com/2008/9-22/444958323049928.html |archive-date=2010-04-05 }}
Astronaut Corps career
In 1996, Zhai was selected as a candidate for the taikonaut program and was selected to be the first group of fourteen in 1998. He was one of three members of the final group to train for the Shenzhou 5 flight. Yang Liwei was picked for the flight, with Zhai Zhigang ranked second ahead of Nie Haisheng. Zhai was one of the six taikonauts in the final training for Shenzhou 6 Ta Kung Pao newspaper had reported that Zhai Zhigang and Nie Haisheng were the leading pair, after having been in the final group of three for Shenzhou 5. However, Zhai had been paired with Wu Jie during training. Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng flew the flight.
= Shenzhou 7 =
Zhai, along with Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng was selected for prime crew on Shenzhou 7, with Zhai as commander, on 17 September 2008. On 25 September 2008, at 21:10 CST, they launched into space as the first three-man crew for China, China's third human spaceflight mission.CCTV1 live telecast{{Cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-09/26/content_7060750.htm|title = Shenzhou VII launched for 1st spacewalk}} On 27 September 2008, Zhai became the first Chinese astronaut to spacewalk, completely outside the craft. Fellow crew member Liu Boming stood by at the airlock and could be seen straddling the portal. Zhai successfully completed his spacewalk at 18:25 CST.CCTV4 live telecast Zhai wore the Chinese developed Feitian space suit, while Liu wore the Russian derived Orlan-M space suit.
= Shenzhou 13 =
Zhai was selected as commander to fly on the Shenzhou 13 alongside Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu as his second spaceflight mission to the Tiangong space station.{{cite web|url=http://www.ecns.cn/news/sci-tech/2021-10-14/detail-iharvwpk8244746.shtml|title=China unveils Shenzhou-13 crew for six-month space station mission}} On 7 November 2021, Zhai carried out his second spacewalk alongside Wang who became China's first woman to perform a spacewalk.{{cite web|title=China's Shenzhou 13 crew takes its first spacewalk, the country's 1st by a female astronaut|date=7 November 2021|url=https://www.space.com/china-shenzhou-13-first-female-spacewalk|publisher=Space.com|access-date=8 November 2021}} On 26 December 2021, Zhai carried out his third spacewalk with Ye.{{cite web|title=Shenzhou-13 crew conducts second spacewalk of mission|date=26 December 2021|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/12/shenzhou-13-second-spacewalk/|publisher=Nasaspaceflight.com|access-date=26 December 2021}}
Personal life
Zhai's favourite pastimes are calligraphy, dancing and gadgets. He is married to Zhang Shujing and has one son.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Zhai Zhigang}}
- {{Cite news |url = http://english.pladaily.com.cn/english/pladaily/2003/10/22/20031022001021_MilitaryNews.html |title = We want to fly higher for China: stories of Zhai Zhigang |newspaper = PLA Daily |date=2003-10-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060302052419/http://english.pladaily.com.cn/english/pladaily/2003/10/22/20031022001021_MilitaryNews.html |archive-date=2006-03-02 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050808074326/http://www.astronautix.com/astros/zhaigang.htm Zhai Zhigang] at the Encyclopedia Astronautica. Accessed 22 July 2005.
- [http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/international/english/zhai_zhigang.htm Spacefacts biography of Zhai Zhigang]
{{Shenzhou program}}
{{Chinese space program}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhai, Zhigang}}
Category:People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps
Category:Shenzhou program astronauts
Category:Extravehicular activity
Category:People's Liberation Army Air Force generals
Category:People's Liberation Army generals from Heilongjiang