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Zhai Zhigang

Chinese - (CNSA)

Active

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.

Long March 2F | Shenzhou-7

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Sept. 25, 2008, 1:10 p.m.
Status: Success
Mission:

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 Orbit
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Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou 13

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | China
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Oct. 15, 2021, 4:23 p.m.
Status: Success
Mission:

Second 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 Orbit
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Administrator: Tang Dengjie

The 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.


Minotaur IV
Success
3 hours, 46 minutes ago
NROL-174
Space Launch Complex 8 - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.


New Shepard
Success
2 days, 9 hours ago
NS-31
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site/ Corn Ranch - Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA

NS-31 is the 11th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 31st in its history.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 19 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-73
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 22 hours ago
Starlink Group 12-17
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 21 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 10 hours ago
NROL-192
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Ninth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office to…